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Tarka dhal
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tahir



Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45389
Location: Essex
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 3:39 pm    Post subject: Tarka dhal Reply with quote
    

nick asked for a dhal recipe, like all of mine its a bit freestyle, and that really is how its supposed to be, its peasant food; use whats avaiable!

Get some dhal, preferably a mix of split chick peas, red lentils, green lentils, green moong, any one of the above on it's own will work.

Boil in quite a lot of water till soft to your liking, some people like it smoother than others, add your salt and chilli. (You can add some tomato and onion at the boiling stage if you like, I mostly don't, but up to you, turmeric too). If you have some fenugreek or other spicy green you can add that finely chopped and just stir in at the end if you like.

The important bit is the tarka:

veg oil (good splosh, enough to cover the base of the pan at least a couple of mm)
heat till hot (not smoking)
add spices: (any/all of)
fenugreek
cumin
black cumin
black mustard seed
onion seed
caraway seed
fennel
once these have fizzed a bit (be careful not to burn)
add a good dollop of butter and (prechopped v fine) garlic and ginger
give it a sizzle then stir it into your dhal
after this you can if you like garnish with fresh coriander, a squeeze of lemon juice is also nice

There is no wrong or right, some people like it runnier than others, some people don't like a very brown looking dhal, some don't like a strong tarka others do, some like the whole thing to be smooth like soup...

As Nick found out fenugreek can be quite powerful so go easy

earthyvirgo



Joined: 24 Aug 2007
Posts: 7972
Location: creating prints in the loft, Gerlan
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 3:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Great, thanks Tahir - my dhals are pretty freestyle too but good to see the spices you use.

Yup, fenugreek can be pretty pungent the day after!

EV

Nick



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Yep, had this last night. Was great. Yellow lentils, 45 minutes boiling in salt water, some chopped onion and turmeric in for the last ten minutes, drained and threw in the tarka.

Used cumin, black pepper, fennel, nigella seeds, black and yellow mustard, and some tiny bitter seeds, I forget the name of, bought for 20 rupees.

I forgot to add coriander, but did add lemon juice.

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I used asafoetida in my tarka a couple of days ago. That was good.

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 4:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

And fenugreek leaves are available chopped and dried in most supermarkets but are called methi.
Something my Indian assistants at work taught me.

Bodger



Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I'm a peasant, I'll get the Mrs to rustle some of this up for next weekend. Many thanks for this one.

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It's delicious and easy to do once you understand it. Cook the dhal, any lentils you like, cook the tarka, onions garlic and spices and mix the 2 together.
yum

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 5:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

When do you add the otter?

Nick



Joined: 02 Nov 2004
Posts: 34535
Location: Hereford
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 5:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I tried so hard not to make that joke. So hard.

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Treacodactyl wrote:
When do you add the otter?

If you want to you can fry the chilli in with the onions, green ones are 'otter than the red normally.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 5:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

You rotten lot. WHile I'm away someone grabbed the punch line.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 5:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Nick wrote:
I tried so hard not to make that joke. So hard.


I did resist asking if I can substitute beaver for otter.

mochyn



Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 5:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Can you put chilli in this? If you can, that would make it 'otter.

Pilsbury



Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 5:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

My mum and dad used to tell us a story about a pub thst had a big tank in the garden full of water and various bits and peices in the bottom with a sign saying 'to see water 'otter pull chain) and when you tugged the chain an old rusty kettle bobbed up and down on the bottom of the tank.
no ideas if it's a true story but itscertianly one I remember well

12Bore



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 9089
Location: Paddling in the Mersey
PostPosted: Sat Jan 17, 15 6:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I am so proud of my self restraint today!

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