Kricket: burnt garlic tarka dal recipe

SERVES 4

Ingredients 
*500 g yellow moong dal, washed
*1 tablespoon vegetable oil
*2 dried Kashmiri red chilli
*5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
*2 banana shallots, finely chopped
*a thumb-size piece of fresh ginger root, finely chopped
*1 tablespoon cumin seeds
*2 green chillies, split
*80 g fresh curry leaves
*2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
*sea salt, to taste
*Chapatis or plain rice, to serve

Method

1. Soak the dal in water for 20 minutes. Rinse and drain, then put in a saucepan and cover with 800 ml water, bring to the boil, then simmer for at least 40 minutes until the dal has absorbed all the liquid and has completely cooked.

2. Add more water if the dal is drying out during the cooking process. It should be a thick, semi-smooth consistency.

3. In a separate saucepan, heat the oil, add the dried chillies and fry for a few seconds for the chillies to infuse in the oil. Add the garlic and fry to just before the point of burning. Add the shallots, ginger, cumin seeds, green chillies, curry leaves and the tomatoes.

4. Stir continuously over a high heat until thoroughly hot and blended before turning it all into the dal. Season to taste with salt, stir to combine and serve hot as it is, or with chapatis or plain basmati rice.

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