Tarka Daal
Tarka Daal
(serves lots, perhaps 6–8)
about 1 cup/250 grams orange, yellow or brown lentils
about 3 cups water
1 medium tomato
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 heaping tsp ground coriander
1 heaping tsp ground cumin
1 heaping tsp ground turmeric
1 heaping tsp chili powder
1 heaping tsp garam masala
1/2 cup/125 ml vegetable oil
1 medium onion, roughly sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped fine
1 medium tomato
sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste
1/2 cup/125 ml plain yoghurt
fresh coriander/cilantro leaves to garnish
Pour the lentils into a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with water. You may need more water as they cook down. Into the lentils, coarsely chop the tomato, onion and garlic. My friend does this with a small, sharp knife, right from her hand into the pot. Sprinkle with all the spices. Bring to a simmer and cook until soft, adding more water if needed, about 30 minutes. Make sure the lentils are truly soft.
While they are cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan till very hot, then add the onions and garlic and fry until brown. This is absolutely crucial — continue to cook them past the level you would for any other recipe, except perhaps a biryani. They need to be fried nearly crisp, and you will find that they begin to stick together in clumps. This is perfect.
Now add them to the simmered lentils.
As the oily onions and garlic hit the wet lentils, they will make a crackling sound, very satisfying, which the Pakistanis believe mimics the sound of firecrackers, and the Urdu word for firecracker is “Tarka.” Hence “Tarka Daal,” since “Daal” is Urdu for “lentils.”
Stir thoroughly and add the second tomato. Cook just a bit. Season well and stir in half the yogurt. Serve topped with the remaining yogurt and the cilantro.