Adapted from “Vij’s Elegant & Inspired Indian Cuisine,” by Vikram Vij and Meeru Dhalwala. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
LENTILS
1/2 cup moong dal and 1/2 cup masur dal, or 1 cup red lentils
7 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
MASALA
1/4 cup ghee or clarified butter
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (optional)
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
3/4 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
3/4 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper or 1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeño pepper
3 ounces chopped spinach leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
Directions
Sift through lentils to make sure there aren’t any stones. Place them in a strainer and rinse with cold water.
Place lentils, water, salt and turmeric in a large pot with tight-fitting lid and stir. Bring to a boil over high heat, then stir, cover partially and reduce heat and cook for five to eight minutes until there is very little foam left. Cover the pan completely and cook for about 30 minutes until tender and velvety.
Masala: While lentils are cooking, make the masala. In a shallow frying pan, heat ghee on medium-high heat for 45 seconds or until completely melted. Add asafoetida and allow it to sizzle for 15 seconds, then add cumin seeds and let sizzle 15 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, stir in onions and saute 8-10 minutes. Add ginger, tomatoes and cayenne or jalapeno and saute, stirring for about 5 minutes or until oil glistens on top.
Pour masala into the pot with the cooked lentils and stir well. Just before serving, stir in the spinach. Sprinkle cilantro on top.
Serve as a side dish or as a main dish with basmati rice or Indian bread.
Wine ideas: There’s something about ginger, cilantro and chile heat that just goes with riesling. For a dish as earthy as this, look for bone-dry examples, such as those from Australia. Pewsey Vale, Yalumba’s Y Series, and Plantagenet all run about $16 or less. Tara Q. Thomas
