Chana Daal Fry
A meaty daal fried in a rich tomato sauce that is perfect for those days when only a lentil will do.
“Ay daal hai kay kookar?”
Is this daal or chicken?
That is the rhetorical question put to my friend by the street vendor selling him Chana Daal Fry at a bus stop in Rawalpindi. The street vendor assured him that one bite of this magical daal and he would believe he was in fact eating chicken, the ultimate taste sensation in his eyes.
While this daal does not actually taste like chicken in any way, it does taste meaty. Its robust texture and heady mixture of bold flavours lines your stomach with the similar warm satisfaction of a good bowl of Masala chicken. The key is to use the right type of daal. I recommend buying chana daal from an Asian Store. It may look very similar to Split yellow pea, but it is a different variety which is more robust and heartier. It retains its shape much better, which is integral to the dish, and does not disintegrate into lentil soup consistency as easily.
In a pinch, you can use Split Yellow Peas as a substitute, but know that it will be that little bit runnier,and less meaty in taste and texture.
In a medium saucepan, put the drained lentils and 3 cups of water on to boil. Do not add the salt at this point, as it makes the outside of the lentils too hard.
Once it comes up to the boil, turn the heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
20 Minutes
When the lentils are done, drain and set aside. You will need to check on the lentils for doneness: they should be soft all the way through but still have their individual shape. It is hard to judge this precisely, so the best way is to actually taste one. It should taste soft all the way through, with only a very slight bite, a bit like cooking pasta al dente. It is always best to err slightly on the side of underdone, as it can be cooked further later, but if it is overdone, it will become mushy and soup like.
While the lentils are boiling, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan on a medium flame.
Add the onion, garlic, fresh chillies and half the ginger and fry till soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
10 Minutes
Add the Hara Spice Blend and salt and fry for 30 seconds, stirring to make sure the spices don’t burn.
Add the tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes.
5 Minutes
Add the drained lentils, the rest of the ginger and the lemon juice and fry for 1 minute to mix well.
Cover and let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. It is at this stage that you can cook the lentils for longer if they are a bit underdone: add a touch of water to the lentils and let simmer for longer than 10 minutes, to allow the lentils to cook through.
10 Minutes
Next, add in the fresh herbs off the heat. Cover and let the herbs infuse for 5 minutes.
5 Minutes
Ingredients
Directions
In a medium saucepan, put the drained lentils and 3 cups of water on to boil. Do not add the salt at this point, as it makes the outside of the lentils too hard.
Once it comes up to the boil, turn the heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 20 minutes.
20 Minutes
When the lentils are done, drain and set aside. You will need to check on the lentils for doneness: they should be soft all the way through but still have their individual shape. It is hard to judge this precisely, so the best way is to actually taste one. It should taste soft all the way through, with only a very slight bite, a bit like cooking pasta al dente. It is always best to err slightly on the side of underdone, as it can be cooked further later, but if it is overdone, it will become mushy and soup like.
While the lentils are boiling, heat the oil in a heavy bottomed pan on a medium flame.
Add the onion, garlic, fresh chillies and half the ginger and fry till soft and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
10 Minutes
Add the Hara Spice Blend and salt and fry for 30 seconds, stirring to make sure the spices don’t burn.
Add the tomatoes and fry for 5 minutes.
5 Minutes
Add the drained lentils, the rest of the ginger and the lemon juice and fry for 1 minute to mix well.
Cover and let simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. It is at this stage that you can cook the lentils for longer if they are a bit underdone: add a touch of water to the lentils and let simmer for longer than 10 minutes, to allow the lentils to cook through.
10 Minutes
Next, add in the fresh herbs off the heat. Cover and let the herbs infuse for 5 minutes.
5 Minutes