Recipe of the Day: Dad’s Secret Anglo-Indian Dal (Or Lovely Gubly Lentils)

The best thing about Anglo-Indian heritage has to be the food. East meets west really doesn’t get any better than when it is sitting on a plate on a cold English day. One of my absolute favourite dishes has to be our family Dal recipe that has been a staple in my diet as long as I can remember. As well as being super healthy and soul-warmingly satisfying, it tastes amazing encapsulating those classic Indian flavours of earthy cumin and vibrant coriander. I must have eaten at least a kilo of lentils last year at university, especially during hockey season when I came back freezing, famished and fatigued. So please have a go and no one tell my dad that this famous Lucas recipe has entered the blogosphere.

Ingredients (Serves 2)*

1 Small cup of red lentils
1 White onion
1/2 tsp of Garam masala
1 tsp of Cumin
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp pureed Ginger
1 tsp pureed Garlic
1 handful Corriander

*All of the quantities are approximate as I usually just throw everything in Indian style 🙂

Wash the lentils thoroughly in a sieve. Put into a pan and cover with water until it reaches about one inch and a half above them. Bring to the boil and then lower the heat so it is simmering gently. Skim off any scum that will collect on the top occasionally. This gets rid of unwanted starch.

Chop the onion into small pieces and measure out your spices. Add the onions to a pan and fry lightly. Then add the spices, garlic and ginger, stirring well. Once the onions are nice and soft, switch of the heat and put to the side.

 

Stir your lentils occasionally keeping an eye on the water level. It should be absorbed by the lentils which will gradually start to break down. You will notice this when you stir. You can see the difference in the second picture.

 

When the bubbles seem thicker and the lentils virtually shapeless, add your onion mixture and salt to taste. Give it a good mix and leave to infuse for another five minutes and then finally add chopped corriander.

And there it is! My delicious family dal recipe; ideal on a cold winter day and perfect for that silly diet you may be on. Goes great with rice or a fresh chapati mmm!!

When Dad Finds the Kitchen

Most of the time I will cook the dinner in our household, not because I have to but because I love it, a passion which I believe got from my dad. My dad was a single parent to my sister and I after my mother passed away in 2001. I grew up watching him cook hearty meals for the three of us when he could have been microwaving a ready meal. I tried my best to help do little things like cut an onion or supply the tea. However the situation, he was my true inspiration and creator of my mentality that says there is always time for fresh food no matter how difficult things get. There are some days my dad comes home a little later than usual with pounds and pounds of meat after visiting the Indian butcher. This time he came home with industrial sized bags of spices and a huge bunch of coriander as well. Despite complaining about a bad back this week, he set to work on making his famous tandoori chicken accompanied by our family’s lovely tarka dal. I would put the recipe up if I knew it but he keeps his methods secret so none of us might out do him. And so instead readers, a picture will have to do!

Tandoori Chicken with Rice and Tarka Dal

My dad doesn’t really cook that often but you know that when he does it will be a massive treat. This meal really was delicious and I ate way too much of it but these sort of things have to be savored. Let’s hope dad’s in a cooking mood again soon!