Dhal Baat Tarkari, Northern Nepalese

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 1 cup Lentils, Urid Dhal (Urid Lentils), halved with peel
• 1 cup basmati
• 4 small potatoes or other vegetables
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 small onion(s)
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 1 ginger (same amount as garlic)
• 0.3 chili pepper(s), red, fresh
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin, whole
• 1 tsp spice mix (chana masala)
• 1 tsp spice mix (garam masala or similar)
• 2 tsp sauce (pickles or chutney)

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

Lentil curry, rice, vegetables, pickles

For the dhal (lentils): Soak the urid lentils, rinse them (otherwise they will foam too much during cooking), and cook them in 2 cups of generously salted water until the lentils are tender (soft but not falling apart). Remove the pan from the heat. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan (at about 2/3 of the maximum heat, otherwise the spices will burn). Sauté the finely chopped onion until translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, 1 level teaspoon of chana masala, 0.5 teaspoon of garam masala or all-spice masala, and sizzle for another 2-3 minutes. Stir the contents of the pan into the lentils (thoroughly scrape the pan with a wooden spatula). Finish with a dash of lime juice before serving. For the baat (rice): Simmer 1 cup of rice with a little salt and the contents of 3 cardamom pods in 1.5 cups of boiling water until tender (the original rice is not grainy). Tarkari: Cook leafy vegetables such as spinach, then fry them in 2 tablespoons of oil with 0.5 teaspoon of cumin (whole), 0.5 teaspoon of garam masala, and 0.5 teaspoon of another dark mixture. Empty the dhal into small bowls, such as Chinese bowls. Serve with rice, vegetables, and a teaspoon of pickles, such as homemade mint or coriander chutney, and 1/4 lime, if desired. The dhal tastes even better reheated, so it’s great to cook in advance if you’re in a hurry. Then all you need to do is cook the rice (it tastes good without vegetables too). Tip: The information on the spice mixtures is only a guideline. Every chana/garam masala, etc., tastes different. In general, reddish or brownish, as well as whitish/greyish masalas are for lentils and meat, and yellowish masalas for vegetables, paneer, and tofu.