Who doesn't love indulging in the comforting embrace of a fragrant, slow-cooked dhal. For me, it's the perfect meal for crisp evenings ahead. Bursting with warmth and flavour, this wholesome dish from Jody Vassallo's cookbook The Yogic Kitchen, offers both nourishment and convenience, making it an ideal meal for busy evenings when time isn't on our side, and a freezer stash of homemade goodness is a welcome sight.
Excerpt from Jody..
There are few things that make a good dhal for me, and I think the most important it texture. I'm not a fan of watery dhals, I much prefer them rich and creamy - and this one is that. The secret is cooking the dhal, you can't rush it. If you do, you are likely to find yourself with a pan with a nicely charred base; believe me, I've needed a lot of elbow grease to clean some of my rushed ventures. This one takes about 1.5 to hours if you cook it the old-fashioned way on the stove; it you prefer, you could use a pressure cooker or a slow cooker.
1 cup (250g) urad dahl
1 cup (220g) split mung dahl
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon tamarind puree
2 tablespoons organic sesame oil
3 cloves
2 dried bay leaves
2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt, optional and to taste.
To serve
1/2 cup (125g) Greek style yoghurt
1 lemon, halved
coriander leaves
mint leaves
Place the urad and mung dhal in a bowl, cover with water and set aside to soak overnight. Rinse and drain well.
Transfer the dhal to a large saucepan, add 2 litres of water and cook over medium heat for 1/5 hours, checking and stirring several times to see if you need to add more water. The dhal is ready when the mixture is thick and slightly creamy. You may need to increase the heat towards the end if you find there is too much liquid.
Add the chili powder, turmeric and tamarind to the pan and mix to combine.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan, add the cloves and the bay leaves and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, add the remaining spices and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add to the cooked lentil mixture and stir through.
Divide the dhal between serving bowls, top with the yoghurt, finish with a good squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of coriander and mint leaves.
To try more of Jody's recipes, this Green Falafel recipe is so yum, as is this Sweet Vegan Cream and Calming Black Sesame Milk. You can purchase her wonderful cookbook here.
To learn more about or indeed work with the wonderful Jody, you'll find her website here.
