Dal + rice

The Goods*:

1 cup orange dal

1 cup jasmine rice

6 cups water

1 large shallot

1 1" piece fresh ginger

5 cloves garlic

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp ground cardamom

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds

6-8 dried thai chilis

2 black cardamom pods

1/2 tbsp butter

Peel and thinly slice the shallot. Peel and finely dice the ginger. Place a few spritzes of olive oil in large stock pot on medium-low heat. Smash the garlic cloves with the back of a knife to remove the skin. Place the smashed garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder, cardamom powder, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, and dried chilis in a mortar. Grind the spices together with the garlic until a fragrant paste develops.

Add the shallots to the pot. Sweat the shallots for approximately 5 minutes, then add the ginger. Cook for a few minutes longer, then add the spice mixture and black cardamom pods. Cook for another few minutes, then add the butter. I've found that the dal benefit from a little extra fat. I also use the butter here as a fake-ish sort of deglaze to pull some of the spices off the bottom of the pot before adding the dal. Add the dal, rice, and water. Turn the heat up to medium high until a boil develops, then reduce the heat to low. Simmer with the lid on the pot for 30-40 minutes, or until all of the water is absorbed. These proportions produce an epic amount of dal and rice. I think I'll probably get three or so lunches out of this batch!

*I've been a big fan of dal for some time. Not only is it simple to cook, but was my first foray into Indian cooking at home. This recipe (HT: Jill) hooks dal up with rice. It is a marriage made in heaven. This post is a synthesis of my normal dal recipe and the linked recipe. Enjoy!