Ingredients

• 1/2lb green moong dal (can also use red or yellow with adjusted cooking tiime

• 1 tsp turmeric

• ginger chopped into visible pieces

• green chillies, deseeded (optional)

• Salt (to taste)

For the tadka

• 1 medium onion, sliced

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

• 1 -2 cm of ginger, finel chopped

• 1 tomato, chopped

• 1 red chilli, de-seeded

• ground cumin seeds (to taste)

• garam Masala (to taste)

• Ghee/butter & oil

Method

Wash the dal. Boil all of the dal ingredients in water that is 2-3 times the volume of the dal for about 45 minutes. The lentils should be soft but not mushy. The water level may be varied to taste. 

For the tadka

Fry the onion in ghee or butter and oil until the onions are lightly golden, then add the rest of the ingredients and continue frying for a further 5 minutes, or until it seems ready

Ingredients

• ½ lb red kidney beans (more or less as they double in size – filling the pressure cooker about 1 inch deep)

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• ½ inch ginger, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 2 tomatoes

Method

Soak kidney beans overnight, or for 2 hours in boiling water (about 2 ½ to 3 times the depth of the beans in the pan). Fry onions, garlic, ginger and cumin until thoroughly cooked (golden brown colour, not burnt). Chop tomatoes and add to fried mixture. When it forms a paste, add garam masala and chilli. Put the beans into the mixture with a little of the water in which they were soaked (reserving the rest of the water) and cook for a few minutes. Add the rest of the water and salt.

Pressure cook for 30 – 40 minutes at pressure. Mash half the beans. Dry out if necessary or add water to adjust the consistency (this is trial and error). 

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb toor dal (oily yellow dal)

• ½ tsp haldi (ground turmeric)

• 1 tsp jeera (whole cumin seeds)

• Pinch of hing (asafoetida)

• 1 whole dried chilli

• Ghee

Method

Wash the dal. Cover with 3x water (or more, says Sunil, looking at his beer glass). Add salt, turmeric and pressure-cook for 15 min at pressure. Adjust consistency by drying out or adding water.

Fry chilli and cumin seeds in the ghee till brown (not burnt). Add to the dal with a pinch of hing.

Ingredients

• 2 large aubergines

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped

• ½ inch ginger root, chopped

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 2 tomatoes, chopped

• Fresh chilli, deseeded

• 1 tsp garam masala

• Fresh coriander for garnish

• (Optional – yogurt)

Method

Char the skin of the aubergines over a gas flame or under the grill. Dip in cold water and peel. Mash with a fork and cut out any hard bits.

Fry onion, garlic, ginger and chilli.  When cooked, add tomatoes and fry until well mixed. Add the aubergine and continue cooking. After a few minutes, add garam masala, salt (and yogurt if desired). Cook on a low heat for 5 – 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh coriander.