Simple Lentil Dal (dahl)

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 inch piece cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 3 whole cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 1 cup lentils (picked over, washed and drained) or 1 cup pink lentils (picked over, washed and drained) or 1 cup yellow split lentils (picked over, washed and drained)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 teaspoon salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon canola oil (i used ghee, clarified butter)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves (mashed to a paste, about 1/2 tablespoon)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 fresh hot green chili pepper, minced (i used a tablespoon of roasted jalapeno, minced-not as hot)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 lemons, juice of or 1/2 lime, juice of, plus more to taste

Recipe

• 1 heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes.
• 2 add the cumin, cloves and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the cumin turns a golden brown color, about 1 more minute. add the lentils, turmeric, water and salt. bring to a boil and skim well. turn down the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, 20-30 minutes. add more water during cooking if necessary. taste for salt and add more if you need to.
• 3 ladle about 1/2 cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon (optional). return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir. continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to thicken. if you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree. if you like a thinner dal, add water. remove the cinnamon stick (and cardamom pods, if you like).
• 4 for the tempering oil, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. add the onion and cook until it just begins to brown around the edges, 4-5 minutes. add the garlic paste, ginger and minced chile and cook just to mellow the raw taste of the garlic, 10-15 *seconds*.
• 5 stir half of the tempering oil into the dal along with half of the cilantro and all of the lemon or lime juice. simmer very gently for 5 minutes. transfer the dal to a serving bowl, pour the remaining tempering oil over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. serve hot with additional lemon or lime juice to taste.