Bengali Kalai Dal with Mouri

[sankarson]

Bengali Kalai Dal with Mouri

Serves 3 as Main Dish.

Kalai dal is also known as urad dal, and is in widespread use throughout India. There are many ways to prepare this dal, even in Bengal. This way of making kalai dal is one of my favorites, simple but very aromatic.

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For the dal

• 1 c Kalai (urad) dal
  
• 3 c water
  

For the tempering

• 1 1/4 inch fresh ginger
  
• 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 1 dried red chilly
  
• 2 T ghee (or cooking oil)
  
• pinch of hing (asafoetida) - optional
  
• salt to taste
  

Soak the dal in some warm water for 15 min or so, then drain.

Boil the dal in water (1 cup to three cups of water) till moderately soft (about 20 min). It should soft but not completely mushy, and the grains should be visible.

Grind the fennel and ginger into a fine paste without adding any water. In a pan or karahi, heat oil till nearly smoking and add the bay leaf and dried red chilly, followed by the fennel ginger mixture. Stir till the paste browns, and quickly pour into the dal. Add a pinch of hing and salt to taste. Serve hot with rice.

Keywords: Easy, Beans, Main Dish, Indian, Vegan

( RG1299 )