Ingredients

  • Powders
    • 1/2 tsp cumin
    • 1 tsp garam masala
    • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • Whole/crushed spices
    • 2 tsp black mustard
    • 2 tsp cumin
    • 1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds, ground
    • 4–5 pieces of clove
    • 1 stick cinnamon
    • 4–5 pieces star anise
    • 4–5 green cardamom
    • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 5 garlic cloves, diced
  • 1 thumb ginger, diced
  • 200g chana dal
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 4-5 sliced tomatoes.

Recipe

Note that chana dal specifically refers to skinned and split black chick peas. Substituting this with, say, whole chickpeas from a typical western grocer will give vastly different results. The flavor of the chana dal and its cooking water are central to the dish so it’s worth going to a local Indian grocer to find it for this recipe.

Soak chana dal overnight with baking soda. The baking soda will soften the dal to make it cook faster. The next day, discard soaking water and cook the chana dal in just enough water to cover it until they soften.

While the dal is cooking, put a pot on medium heat and add mustard seeds and whole cumin to oil. Cook until they start sputtering. Next, add the aromatics, whole spices, and chilli. Cook until the onions are softened. Next, add Kashmiri chilli powder and cumin and fry only briefly — so the powders don’t burn — before adding sliced tomatoes. Let simmer until the tomatoes break down into a sauce.

Add the chana dal to the tomato sauce and let simmer for 20-30 minutes. Finally, take it off the heat and let the dish rest for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with rice or dosa.