LAHORI CHANAY KI DAAL

Lahori chanay ki daal image

Try this version of chanay ki daal for a taste of the street-food stalls of Lahore in Pakistan - black cardamom helps mimic a coal-smoked taste

Provided by Sumayya Usmani

Categories Dinner

Time 55m

Number Of Ingredients 16

Ingredients

350g chana daal
4 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tbsp ghee (or unsalted butter)
1 tsp whole cumin seeds
1 black cardamom (optional)
1 red onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1⁄2in piece of ginger, peeled
4 tbsp tomato purée
1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
1⁄2 red chilli powder or Kashmiri chilli powder
1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) (optional)
1 green chilli, finely chopped
small bunch of coriander leaves, chopped
1⁄2in piece of ginger, peeled and julienned
1 tsp chaat masala (optional)

Steps:

Wash and soak the chana daal for about 30 mins. Tip into a large pan, pour over 2 litres of water and boil over a medium heat for 20 mins, until soft but not falling apart or mushy. Add a little more water if it dries up. Drain any remaining water.
Warm the oil and ghee in a saucepan over a medium heat until melted. Add the cumin seeds and black cardamom, and cook briefly for about 15-20 seconds. Tip in the onion and cook until it turns golden, then lower the heat to low-medium and keep stirring for 5 mins.
Add the garlic and ginger, fry until for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly to avoid sticking.
Add the tomato purée, a splash of water, the turmeric, a good pinch of salt and the red chilli powder. Fry for about 2 mins, stirring, until the water has reduced completely.
Tip in the cooked lentils and pour in 150ml of water. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 8-10 mins, stirring regularly to avoid burning the bottom.
Stir in the kasuri methi if using, then cover and cook for about 2-3 mins more. Serve with the chopped chilli, coriander, julienned ginger and chaat masala scattered over, if you like.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 442 calories, Fat 16 grams fat, SaturatedFat 2 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 45 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 7 grams sugar, Fiber 15 grams fiber, Protein 21 grams protein, Sodium 0.1 milligram of sodium