Daal

 

The Indian lady who showed me how to make Daal didn't use onions and garlic as it was against her religion, but I use quite a lot of them.

Vegetables I always use:

Onion, garlic, coriander and tomato (fresh or tinned).

Other things I sometimes use if I have them in the fridge:

Celery, carrot, pumpkin, sweet potato, cauliflower, etc.

Cumin seeds and turmeric or premixed mild curry powder (approx 1tbs per 1 litre of daal)

The beans I use are Red lentils and Mung Dhall.  Mung Dhall is what makes my Daal its unique texture.  For 2 cups of lentils, 1 cup of mung dhall.

I cook the beans separately in plenty of water skimming foams off throughout the cooking process.

If using cumin seeds, heat the oil till quite hot.  Drop a few cumin seeds and if they instantly froth, the oil is hot enough.  Fry for a few seconds before adding the vegetables.

Add cooked beans to the vegetables including the cooking water.  

Simmer until everything is nice and tender.