Tarka Dal

By sarah_carroll

Ingredients

• 2 cups yellow split peas
• 60 ml veg oil
• 1 1/2 t brown mustard seeds
• 1 t cumin seeds
• 6 garlic cloves, pressed
• 10 g ginger, finely grated
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 35 g raw cashews, finely ground
• 1 1/2 t ground turmeric
• 1 t each garam masala and ground chilli
• 1/2 t ground coriander
• 45 g butter or ghee
• 125 ml pouring cream
• 3 long green chillies, halved
• chopped coriander to serve

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add half the mustard seeds and half the cumin seeds and stir until starting to pop. Add garlic, ginger, curry leaves and half the onion, sitr occasionally until soft (7-10) minutes. Add tomato, cashews, turmeric, garam masala, ground chilli, coriander and 125 ml water and stir occasionally until thick (3-5 minutes). Add lentils and enough water to cover, bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and stir occasionally until lentils are tender (30-35 minutes).
Meanwhile, heat butter in a frying pan over medium high heat, add remaining spices and stir until fragrant. Add remaining onion, saute until golden. Stir onion mixture through lentils, add cream and chilli, bring to the boil, season TT and serve immediately scattered with coriander.