Ingredients
Dahl
- 2 cups Yellow Split Peas
- 4 - 6 cups Water
- 1 tsp Stock powder (vegetable/ chicken)
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Minced garlic
- 1-2 tsp chili of choice
Spice Oil
- 1 - 2 Tbsp oil of choice
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Asafoetida (if using to replace garlic)
Garnish
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1/2 - 1 bunch Coriander, roughly chopped.
Instructions
Dahl
- Add all Dahl ingredients to a pressure cooker, cook for 15 minutes.
- Alternatively, cook the yellow split peas in 6 cups of water on the stove for 20 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.
Spice Oil
- Heat oil in a small saucepan, be sure to have a lid or adequate cover ready before adding the seeds as they will pop, spit and spray hot oil all over the kitchen...
- Turn off the heat, add the seeds, put the lid on and gently swirl the seeds into the oil, once they start popping put the pan to the side. Once they stop attacking the lid, decant to a small bowl to stop them cooking, or add them to the pressure cooker.
Garnish
- Garnish is not optional, but if you don't have the exact ingredients on hand you can substitute. Consider dried coriander instead of fresh, or lemon instead of lime juice, just be mindful or portions and when to add dry herbs if using.
- Stir fresh garnish ingredients in after the cooking has been completed.
- Serve with rice or naan.
Notes
- Alexia served us this dish with some sauteed epplant and tomato chunks stirred through, it was great. Depending on the season we don't always have eggplant in the house, but the dahl works well with or without the extra vegetables.
- I use my pressure cooker because, I have one... but regardless this is not a difficult or slow dish to make. I often add the spice oil to the peas before I cook them because I know exactly how much water I need in my particular machine. If you don't it might be better to either start with more water, assuming you will lose a good amount to absorption, evaporation and in removing the scum that tends to build up, better that than having to sit there staring at the pot all twenty+ minutes.
- This is a great recipe for allergies, no dairy, no gluten unless you want it, no onion, and optionally no garlic. If using asafoetida (a potentially hard to find powder for the indian variety) instead of garlic, you should add it to the spice oil while it is still warm for the stinky powder to reach its caramelized garlicky potential...