Dal Tidings

I've promised the dal recipe to the group so it is listed below. Most of the ingredients are an approximation. Use your good cooking sense and have fun!

Serves 10

2 lbs Chana Dal (has nothing to do with chickpeas! It is low in Glycemic Index and good for diabetics)
2-3 tablespoons ghee (depending on how rich you want it)
1 1/2 onions (or two... depends on how much you like the taste of onion)
2 cups of water (or 3 or four... depends on how you like the consistency)
1 tablespoon salt (can add more to taste)
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
3-4 tbs tumeric
3 tbs garam masala
12 pieces bay leaf
12 pieces red chilli
6-8 pieces cloves
1 tablespoon brown sugar (I used date sugar and it needed 2 tablespoons)

Directions:

Soak Chana Dal overnight
Drain and cook until soft (probably 50-60 minutes for 2lbs)
Cool. Take out half and liquify in a blender of cuisinart. Put back with the original dal.

In a separate pan (if it is for 10 people, choose the biggest one you have), melt the ghee.
Put in the chopped onion on medium heat; stir until golden (about five minutes)
Add the ground spices and salt; stir for 1-2 minutes (don't put in the cloves, mustard seed, sugar, bay leaf, and chillis until later)
Add the dal
Add the water
Stir for 5 minutes
Add the additional spices
Stir for another 5-10 minutes
Check the consistency and then let it sit off the heat for awhile before serving for the flavors to set.

***The dal I served was too thick for my (Indian) preferences. An Indian mother-in-law would have also told me it was lacking salt. If you want it to be more soup-like (as it is in India), use more water. They cook it in a pressure cooker, however, so that changes things considerably. In a pan, you lose a lot more water while cooking.

Enjoy!
G