Guy's Dhal

I am yet to perfect a dahl... maybe this one will set me right? This recipe was sent in from a former housemate of Alex's - Guy. Hi Guy! Alex can vouch that Guy's dahl is one of the best around.

GUY'S DAHL RECIPE:

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium brown onion


3-5 cloves garlic (depending on taste/size)

1-5 small red chillies (depending on taste)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp ground coriander

1 tsp ground turmeric

salt

Around 150-250g lentils (red/yellow/brown)

2 medium-sized ripe tomatoes

Optional: 1 medium potato, 1 medium carrot



METHOD:

1. If using yellow or brown lentils, soak for at least 1 hour, ideally 4-8 hours.


2. Place lentils in large saucepan/crock pot and rinse lentils well in a few changes of water.

3. Cover lentils with 1.5 to 2 inches of water.

4. Put all but a teaspoon of ground coriander into lentil water.

5. Put lentils on to boil, being careful to catch the saucepan before it boils over onto the stove. Turn down to low heat so it simmers.

6. Finely chop onion.

7. Pound peeled garlic, chillies and half to one teaspoon of salt in mortar and pestle.

8. Chop tomatoes into around 1cm cubes or slightly smaller.

9. If using potato and carrot, chop them finely, parboil briefly and drain.

10. Fry onion in a small amount of vegetable oil (e.g. peanut oil, sunflower oil etc.). Use a frypan. Keep an eye on the onions, stirring regularly until translucent. Use a pretty low heat. Don't let the onions burn.

11. Add garlic/chilli/salt mix, fry for another couple of minutes, still keeping the heat low.

12. Add cumin, remaining coriander and turmeric. Fry another minute or so, still over low heat.

13. If using potato and carrot, add now and fry with onion/spice mix for another couple of minutes over low heat.

14. Add tomatoes. Heat can be turned up slightly now if necessary, but stir constantly to work the onion/spice mix off the bottom of the frypan.

15. When the onion mixture looks like it's cooked, scrape it into the lentil saucepan. Ladle some water out of the lentil saucepan into the frypan to rinse all the onion/spice mix into the lentils.

16. Cook the dhal for 45mins to 1 hour more.


Serve with raita, chutneys and pappadams fried in peanut oil.

~ Thanks Guy!