Aamat - Sweet Tangy Yellow Dal

I can’t go too long without a dal dish. The boy likes soup and this is a soupy kind of dal.

100g Toor dal, rinsed and drained

1tbsp oil

1tsp mustard seed

A pinch asafoetida

1tsp turmeric

1 onion, chopped

4 green chillies, deseeded and chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1tsp sugar

2tsp garam masala

Chopped coriander to garnish

Salt

Soak the dal for 1 hour. This is just long enough to listen to Radio 4’s Classic Serial with him.

Drain and pour into a heavy based pan, and just cover with water. Bring to the boil and then simmer for about 25 minutes. Check that it’s soft and then drain. Mash it lightly with a wooden spoon. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. They will pop. Try not to lose too many of them as they jump out of the pan. Add the asafoetida, turmeric, chillies and onion. The boy won’t help with the chopping having once sliced chillies and then touched his willy before washing his hands. He’s not taking any risks from now on.

Fry off for 5 minutes – the onions should be turning light brown.

Get the boy to put some basmati rice in the rice cooker. Just plain. Like his white T-shirt.

Add the tomatoes to the frying pan and cook for 4 minutes or until soft. Add the dal to the pan with 250ml water. Cook over a high heat, stirring until bubbles form, and then lower the heat to medium. Season with salt and add the sugar and garam masala. Simmer for a final 5 minutes.

Serve in bowls, garnished with coriander, with a side plate for a mound of rice. Place a spoonful of oily mango pickle on the rice. Alternate spoonful’s of dal with the rice. Comfort food from Maharashtra.