Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee (or 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 4 cloves (these are supposed to reduce flatulence, but that might be a food myth. The cloves add a nice flavor though, so there's no harm in adding them)
- 2 cups water
- 1 can (15 ounce) tomato sauce (or crushed tomatoes, pureed tomatoes, finely diced tomatoes)
- 1/2 cup yogurt, plain (or evaporated milk or cream)
How to Make
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Step 1: In a pot, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Then, add the ginger and spices, and fry for a minute longer.
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Step 2: Place the lentils and cloves in the pot; stir, then pour in water and tomato sauce.
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Step 3: Bring to a boil, cover, then lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 30-45 minutes, or until lentils are tender everything is somewhat creamy. You may need to add more water as you cook, if too much evaporates. Often, I cook for as long as an hour.
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Step 4: Just before serving, stir in the yogurt (temper it first with a bit of the hot dal so it does not curdle). You can taste-check at this point to see if you want to add any salt.
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Step 5: Serve over rice and with warm naan for a complete and satisfying meal. I like topping the dal with a variety of chutneys, but a sprinkling of cilantro, parsley or green onions would be nice too.
We hope you enjoy this recipe!
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