Chana Dal with Spinach and Tomato | Madhur Jaffrey

Dals are an important part of a vegetarian’s diet — a staple in India. However, I tend to skip the page when I see the word “dal” in the recipe, not knowing too much about it. The word stands for the whole family of dried beans, pulses, legumes and split peas. With that knowledge, I can substitute dal with what I have on hand in the pantry. Great! That opens up numerous healthful recipes using a crucial class of ingredients of plant-based protein. Furthermore, Madhur Jaffrey’s recipe of chana dal with spinach and tomato helps me understand how to properly cook and flavor dals.

Have you found dals and curry dishes in Indian restaurants immensely satisfying? I do. They satisfy my palate especially in faraway places where local food can be uninteresting and bland. By and large, I can count on getting flavorful eats in Indian restaurants while on the road.

The handling of spice in bringing out the depth of flavor in these Indian dishes intrigues me. With some trials and errors, I started to have some successes in making good-tasting curries in my kitchen. Not quite the best curry I’ve ever had, but I know I’m on the right track. Here I’m taking a deep dive into cooking dal dishes which have endless variations in India. Importantly, this is dal cooking 101. So let’s start with the common and essential technique, called tarka (or tadka). Variously known as chhonk, bagar, phodni, vagarne, oggarane, and more, depending on the region in India.

What is Dal Tadka (Tarka Daal)?

In Hindi, the word ‘Dal’ means ‘lentils’ and Tarka means ‘tempering’. So dal tarka means lentils finished with a tempering, at the end. Also known as Tarka daal, this is immensely popular in the Indian restaurants. Served with butter naan, tandoori roti, steamed basmati or jeera rice, this is a treat for many Indian food lovers.

The Technique of Tarka

It is a core technique in Indian cooking that involves blooming whole spices in fat to extract their aromas and fat-soluble flavors. The spices would cook at a high temperature in order to properly release their essential oils. (In the French-cooking parlance, heat promotes flavor-producing reactions: caramelization and the Maillard reaction.) Consider it as an extra jolt of flavor added to the dish at the beginning, the middle or the end of cooking. The highly perfumed fat and its contents are either incorporated during cooking or spooned onto a finished dish. I like to think of it as a technique as well as seasoning that adds richness, aroma, flavor and texture to the dish.

How to Make Tarka?

Whole vs ground spices: The most common spices used are cumin, coriander and mustard seeds. The key is to use whole spices. However, who can say with authority that freshly ground spice can’t get the job done. In Madhur Jeffrey’s new book, Instantly Indian Cookbook, she cooks dal in a pressured cooker. Meanwhile, the tarka ingredients are chopped onions and ground spices (paprika and chile powder), adding a bright flavor that cuts through the rich dal.

The choice of fat: The spices need to be cooked at a high temperature in order to properly release their flavor, so we need to use an oil that can stand high temperatures. Traditionally, ghee (clarified butter) is the preferred choice and most widely used. For this chana dal with spinach and tomato, I use avocado oil, which has a high smoke point of 482°F, as compared to 380°F for olive oil.

Here are the steps:

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Chana Dal with Spinach and Tomato

By Madhur Jaffrey – Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 285g/10oz OR 1 1/2 cup chana dal, washed in several changes of water and drained
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1½ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil or peanut oil, or a mixture of ghee and any oil (I use avocado oil)
• ⅛ tsp ground asafoetida (don't have)
• ½ tsp whole brown mustard seeds
• ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
• 1-2 dried hot red chillies
• 7-8 fresh curry leaves
• 1 large onion (225g/8oz), peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1½ tsp peeled and finely grated fresh ginger
• 2 good-sized tomatoes (about 285g/10oz in all), peeled and chopped
• 140-180g/5-6oz well-washed spinach, chopped (see introduction above)
• ¼-½ tsp nice red chilli powder (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1

COOK THE DAL: Put the dal in a medium pan along with 1.2 litres/2 pints water. Bring to the boil, skimming off the froth as it rises to the top. Do not let it boil over. Stir in the turmeric, cover partially, lower the heat and cook for 1¼ hours. When done, mix in the salt. (If using a pressure cooker, add the dal with 4-6 cups of water and cook at high pressure for about 20 minutes or until the dal has completely softened.)

2

BLOOM THE SPICES AND AROMATICS: While the dal cooks, heat the ghee and/or oil in a small, preferably non-stick frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the asafoetida and, a second later, the mustard seeds. As soon as the seeds start to pop, a matter of seconds, add the cumin seeds. Stir for 5-6 seconds, then add the red chillies and fry until they darken. Throw in the curry leaves, stir once and add the onion. Sauté for about 7-10 minutes, or until the onion starts to brown.

3

COOK THE SPINACH MIXTURE: Add the garlic and ginger and stir for another 1-2 minutes. Now add the tomatoes and stir for 5-6 minutes, until they soften, mashing them down with the back of a wooden spoon as you do so. Add the spinach and 120 ml/4 fl oz water. Stir and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook gently for 10-12 minutes, or until the spinach wilts and is very soft.

4

COMBINE THE DAL AND SPINACH MIXTURE: When the dal has finished cooking, add the spinach mixture and stir well. Check the seasoning and add the chilli powder if you need it. Grind black pepper over the top. If the dal feels too thick, you can stir in a little water.

Notes

Adapted from Vegetarian Indian, a Journey Through the Best of Indian Home Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey