Yellow dal and jeera rice
I'm back in London and it is cold. I love winter weather but after six months of sunshine and one day of rain in Dubai, it's going to take a little getting used to. That's why I thought I'd share this recipe with you. It's an embarrassingly simple meal but it's one that I make all the time, especially when I need a little warmth and comfort. My (non-Indian) friends love this too. If they're coming around, I'll also make a quick chana masala and some dry-fried paneer. If it's just me, a batch of this will last almost a week of guaranteed yum.
This yellow dal is one of the first things I made once I'd bought the Instant Pot. Those of you that know me know my love for all kitchen gadgets but the Instant Pot is something that has made raving lunatics of many home cooks. It's amazing. It's an electric pressure cooker that also functions as a slow cooker/rice cooker/steamer/warmer and you can sauté/braise in it. I use it all the time. Anyway, if you don't have an Instant Pot, you can use a regular pressure cooker - I've included instructions for both options. You could absolutely make this on the stove but it would take roughly twice the time (and water) for the lentils to cook and I haven't tried this myself. Let me know how it turns out if you do.
Things I love about this dal: it's tasty despite being so darn wholesome; it doesn't require the extra step of making a tadka, without compromising on any of the flavour; it's beautifully creamy and you can adjust the consistency just by adding water until it's as thick/runny as you like; the spinach I throw in at the end wilts so beautifully, I don't even notice the added nutrition.
As the dal itself is so flavorful, I usually pair it with plain rice or chappati. But if I'm looking to up the comfort factor, I make jeera rice. 'Jeera' is Hindi for cumin, and all you need for jeera rice is ghee (or butter), cumin seeds and rice. You brown the cumin seeds in hot ghee, and then sauté the rice in it for a couple of minutes before you add water and cook the rice as you would normally. It smells so wonderful, it's like the savoury equivalent of cookies in the oven. I prefer brown to white rice so I tend to make this in the Instant Pot (it's quicker and the results are always reliably perfect) but I've included instructions for cooking on the hob as well.
I don't really need much else but here are some nice additions: a dollop of yogurt or cucumber raita, a sprinkle of more coriander, one or two poppadoms and maybe a dab of some Indian mango pickle. Enjoy!
Yellow dal
Adapted from Flavorrd. Serves 4-6.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes or 1 dried red chilli, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated or finely chopped ginger (optional)
1 cup yellow split peas (chana dal)
1/2 cup red lentils (masur dal) or yellow split peas*
3 cups water
1/2 - 3/4 tsp salt
1 large tomato, cut into 6-8 wedges
a couple of handfuls of baby spinach (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup fresh coriander, chopped
METHOD
Rinse the lentils well. If you have the time, let them soak in water for thirty minutes to an hour, but I will skip this step if I'm in a rush. Drain before cooking as below.
Instant Pot
Press the 'Saute' button to begin cooking at medium heat and add the oil to the pot. When the display reads 'Hot', add the chopped onions cook until they soften and become translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Hit the 'Cancel/Keep Warm' button to turn off the heat and then add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli flakes and ginger, mixing well to combine.
Stir in the lentils, water, salt and tomato wedges. Cover the Instant Pot with the lid, with the valve in the sealed position. Press the 'Manual' button and adjust cooking time to 11 minutes. After the program is finished, let the Instant Pot remain in the Keep Warm mode for 10 more minutes before pressing 'Cancel', in order to naturally release some of the pressure. After the 10 minutes, release the valve to let out the rest of the pressure and then remove the lid.
Whisk together the lentils to emulsify, smashing the tomato wedges against the side of the pot if necessary. Add the spinach and chopped coriander and stir to combine, until the spinach wilts. Taste for seasoning and add more coriander and/or salt as needed.
Pressure cooker
Add the oil to the pressure cooker to cook over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and cook until they soften and become translucent. Stir in the garlic, and cook for another minute until fragrant. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric chilli flakes and ginger and mix well to combine.
Add the lentils, water, salt and tomato wedges and stir into the onion mixture. Seal the pressure cooker and cook for 6-8 whistles on a high flame - this will depend on your pressure cooker. For me, this took about 15 minutes once the lid was on the pressure cooker.
Whisk together the lentils to emulsify, smashing the tomato wedges against the side of the pot if needed. If the lentils aren't fully cooked, add 1/4 - 1/2 cup water and simmer on a medium-low flame for about 5 minutes or until it reaches the desired consistency. Turn off the heat and add salt to taste.
Stir in the spinach and coriander to combine. The residual heat will quickly wilt the spinach.
Notes: Leave out the extra 1/2 cup lentils for dal with a thinner consistency. I am generous with my teaspoons of each spice but the most important thing is not to under-salt. I am well-versed in the British aversion to salt but please, trust me.
Jeera rice
Serves 4.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons ghee/butter
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 cups rice (Basmati, white or brown)
2 1/2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
METHOD
Rinse the rice under running water before cooking until the water runs clear.
Instant Pot
Press the 'Saute' button to begin cooking at medium heat and add the ghee to the pot. When the display reads 'Hot', add the cumin seeds and let brown for a minute. Add the rice, stirring well, and fry for another minute. Press the 'Cancel' button to turn off the heat and mix in the water and salt.
Put the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the valve is in the sealed position. Press the 'Manual' button and adjust the timing for the rice: 22 minutes for brown rice or 6 minutes for white rice.
Once the time is up, let the Instant Pot remain in Keep Warm mode for another 10 minutes in order to naturally release some of the pressure. Next, open the valve to release the pressure and take off the lid. Stir well and add more salt, if necessary.
On the hob
Heat a pan over medium flame and add the ghee/butter. When hot, add the cumin seeds and let brown for about a minute. Add the brown or white rice, stirring well, and fry for another minute. Add 2 1/2 cups water and salt, cover and cook over medium-low until the rice is cooked. It depends on the brand but white rice takes about 10 minutes whereas brown rice takes about 25 minutes to cook. You'll need to keep an eye on the rice and top up the water as needed. You want it to be well-cooked but not mushy. When the rice is fully cooked, drain any leftover water. If your rice is a little too sticky, cover with a lid while still hot and leave undisturbed for 5 minutes.
