Everyday Moong Dal

My family can eat this every single day of the week: it is our soul food. I love this with plain Basmati rice and any vegetable I feel like that day. It's also excellent with lemony minced lamb with mint and coriander.

(Serves 4-6)

Ingredients

• 200 g/7 oz moong dal (skinned and split mung beans),
• washed and drained
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
• 1⁄8 teaspoon ground asafoetida
• ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 1-2 whole hot, dried red chillies
• 1 medium shallot, peeled and
• cut into fine slivers

Method

Put the moong dal in a medium pan and add 800 ml / 28 fl oz water. Bring to the boil. Skim off the white froth and add the turmeric. Stir to mix. Cover partially, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes. Add the salt and stir to mix. Turn off the heat.

Pour the oil into a small frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. When hot, quickly add the asafoetida, cumin seeds and chillies in that order. As soon as the chillies darken, a matter of seconds, put in the shallot. Stir and cook until it browns, then quickly pour the contents of the frying pan over the cooked dal. Stir to mix.

John Hawkesby’s wine recommendation

Riesling
Astrolabe Grovetown 2008

Pinot Noir
Aravin 2009