There are quite a few spelling variations for this dish – dal, dahl, dhal – around. Even trusty Wikipedia couldn’t point me in the right direction this time!
Anyway.
I want to start getting my daughter used to stronger flavours. Lentil is a good food for under-ones so I thought that I might try my grandmother’s dhal recipe in the TMX. I recommend keeping it overnight or longer before serving to let the flavours develop and it’s a great one to freeze. You can add a range of veggies – carrot, cauliflower, potato – when you’re heating the dhal up if you need a more substantial meal. You can also add some fresh chilli with the onion, garlic and ginger if you want a spicier dish, but I think I might hold off a bit longer before introducing chilli to the little one!
Ingredients
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 onion
1.5-2cm knob of ginger (you can increase/decrease the quantity according to your taste, this amount adds a fairly subtle flavour)
20g olive oil
1 tbsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp mustard seeds (I like the texture the seeds lend to the dhal so I put 1.5 tbsps in)
200g red lentils, washed
800g water
1-1.5 tsp salt (to taste)
Method
– Throw garlic, onion and ginger into the TMX bowl, and chop for 4 secs/speed 6.
– Add oil and turmeric powder, cook for 5 mins/100 degrees/speed 1.
– Add mustard seeds, lentils and water, give the mix a good stir then cook for 20 mins/100 degrees/reverse/speed 1. I like to pause and stir the dhal a bit halfway through to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom (I was scarred after the Thermomix consultant blackened my bowl when cooking risotto at my demonstration. Perhaps a bit more practice for her, methinks.) but you don’t have to do this.
– Remove portions for bub (if applicable), then add salt to taste. Dunzo! A healthy meal for the family.
