YELLOW PEA DHAL

This dish, which is in all essence a soup, is excellent with breyanis although it can also be eaten on its own or with crusty bread. When eaten on its own, the recipe will make two portions.

1 cup yellow pea dhal

1 tsp turmeric

1 tomato, grated

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tsp crushed garlic

1 tsp crushed ginger

1 dried red chilli, chopped

1 tsp salt

1 bay leaf

1.      Fill a saucepan with water (about 6 cups), add the pea dhal, turmeric and tomato and boil until the peas are soft (add extra water as it boils off). The peas should be mushy when they are ready. Remove the pea mixture from the saucepan and keep aside in a bowl.

2.      In the same saucepan, heat the vegetable oil, and then add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli and fry until the onion is golden brown.

3.      Return the pea mixture to the saucepan, add the salt and bay leaf and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, adding more water if necessary. The dhal should have the consistency of a soup when it is served.

4.      Dhal is usually served with breyanis, but it can be served with plain boiled white rice or naan bread as well.

Serves 2–4