Chickpea Coconut Dhal Food

CHICKPEA & COCONUT DHAL

Steps:

• Heat the ghee or groundnut oil and fry the onion over a medium heat until it's pale gold and soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another couple of mins. Stir in all the spices and cook for another minute or so, then add all the remaining ingredients and 450ml water. Bring to just below boiling point, turn the heat down and simmer for about 40 mins until the split peas are soft. If you like your dhal thick in texture, mash the chickpeas to break them down. If the mixture is getting dry, add more water. If it's too thin, keep cooking until you get the thickness you want. There is no 'right' consistency; dhal can be almost brothy or like a thick purée.
• To serve, heat the ghee or butter in a pan and add the shallots. Fry until they're golden, then add the cumin seeds, black mustard seeds and chilli flakes. Cook until their aromas are released. Scatter coriander on top of the dhal, then pour over the spiced butter.

QUICK & EASY CHICKPEA COCONUT DHAL

Steps:

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large non-stick pot or pan over a high heat. Add the garlic and ginger, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3-5 mins, stirring occasionally. Tip in the spring onions, all the cherry tomatoes, the coriander leaves and stalks and 1 tsp salt. Cook for 3 mins more.
• Add the coconut milk, chickpeas and lentils and stir well, then add the curry powder, turmeric, cumin, ½ tsp black pepper and the lime juice. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 mins. Add the spinach and wilt for a few minutes. Check for seasoning, then serve with pittas.

CURRIED CHICKPEA AND LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Mustard Seed and Turmeric Oil:
• Cook oil and mustard seeds in a small saucepan over medium-low, swirling often, until mustard seeds start to pop. Remove from heat and stir in turmeric and cayenne. Season with salt; let cool.
• Cilantro-Raisin Chutney:
• Mix shallot, raisins, cilantro stems, lime juice, and oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stew and assembly:
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook onions and garlic, cut side down, and ginger, stirring onions and ginger occasionally, until onions are translucent and garlic is golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add curry powder and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and 5 cups water, stirring to release any bits stuck on bottom of pot; season with several pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer; cover with a lid, leaving slightly askew so steam can escape. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and skimming foam from surface as needed, until chickpeas have swelled about 50 percent in size but are still crunchy, 25-30 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and lentils to pot; season with more salt. Return to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until chickpeas are tender and lentils have broken down to form a thick broth, 30-35 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Ladle dal into bowls and serve with toasted Mustard Seed and Turmeric Oil, Cilantro-Raisin Chutney, coconut, chiles, and/or cilantro as desired.
• Do Ahead
• Oil can be made 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Chutney can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Dal can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

CHICKPEA DAAL (INDIAN)

Steps:

• Wash chickpeas in water.
• Put chickpeas in fresh water with salt, two parts water to one part chickpeas.
• Leave overnight to soak.
• Put chickpeas (with water they were soaked in) into a large pot. Top up water to maintain 2 parts water to 1 part chickpea ratio if necessary. Bring water to a boil.
• Cover and turn down to medium (level 5) heat, skim off any white foam.
• Leave to simmer until chickpeas are tender, usually 2 or 3 hours.
• Take off heat.
• In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic on high heat, then turn down to (medium-high) level 8.
• When onions are thoroughly transparent put in ginger.
• Continue to sauté until mixture is sticking to bottom and brown bits are evident.
• Put onion mixture in a food processor and mix (not steadily) until smooth.
• Process tomato, 1/2 tomato portions at a time.
• Put mixture back into large pot.
• Add green onion.
• Heat should be at (medium-high) level 8.
• When mixture starts to bubble add tomato paste.
• Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until butter is released and mixture does not stick to pot.
• Add in potatoes.
• Add in chana masala.
• Reduce heat to level 7.
• Put in chickpeas with a slotted spoon.
• Water is NOT put in, but put aside for later.
• Mix for about 2 minutes Add in red pepper, masala.
• Mix for a further 2 minutes.
• Add water from chickpeas, additional water can be added to give mixture a watery consistency (mixture should not be too thick looking initially, as mixture will reduce, usually you can add in another cup of water).
• Add turmeric.
• Bring mixture to a boiling point on max heat, then reduce heat to level 7. Cover partially and mix infrequently.
• Once potatoes are tender, the daal is done.
• This daal is typically eaten with Indian bread- naan or chapati.
• As with most Indian cooking there is no"true" recipe, the cook decides what the recipe needs (somewhat of a hit and miss strategy, but it works).
• If you are unable to find garam masala the following can be used: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon cracked dried bay leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.