Author Notes
On my honeymoon in Northern India, I ate a few versions of this dish, none more delicious than the one at the Oberoi Hotel in Jaipur. Dark, thick, creamy and enriched at the end with a buttery spiced tarka, this is some serious soul food, perfect for cold, snowy evenings. —gluttonforlife
Ingredients
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1 cup
split urad dal (black lentils)
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2
large yellow onions, sliced thin
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2
green chiles, slit (like jalapeño or serrano)
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salt, to taste
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1 pinch
asafoetida
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2
large tomatoes, chopped (canned are fine)
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2" pieces
ginger, peeled and minced
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1 tablespoon
garlic, minced
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2 teaspoons
ground coriander
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1 teaspoon
ground cumin
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1/2 teaspoon
cayenne
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1/2 cup
heavy cream, whisked to thicken slightly
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2 tablespoons
vegetable oil
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2 tablespoons
ghee
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1 teaspoon
cumin seeds
Directions
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You can soak the lentils overnight in a bowl of water to speed cooking, but this step is not absolutely necessary.
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Boil lentils with 3 cups of water, 1 sliced onion, green chiles, asafoetida and salt to taste until they are very tender. (If you did not soak, they may require additional water.)
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In a separate pan, heat the oil and fry the other onion until soft. Add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute. Add the tomatoes, coriander, cumin and cayenne, and fry for another 5 minutes.
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Add the boiled lentils and enough water to make a thick gravy-like consistency and mix well. Simmer for 10 minutes. Pour in the whisked cream and mix well. Turn off the heat.
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In another small pan, melt the ghee, add the cumin seeds and fry until they stop sputtering. Pour this into the lentils (it will sizzle) and mix well.
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