Name: Awadhi Dal Sultani
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup Split Pigeon Peas, washed and soaked for 30 mins; 1¼ cup Water, for boiling dal; ¼ cup Milk, warm, for soaking saffron; ½ pinch Saffron, generous pinch; 1½ tbsp Fresh Cream, whisked; 1½ tbsp Ghee, divided; 3 clove Garlic, finely chopped; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds, for tempering; 1½ Cloves, whole; 1 Green Cardamom, crushed slightly; ¼ tsp Red Chilli Powder, for mild heat; ½ tsp Salt, to taste; ½ Charcoal, for dhungar (smoking)

1 hr 40 mintotal

1 hr 10 min hands-on30 min hands-off

Prep 30 min · Cook 40 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Cook the soaked pigeon peas with water and salt in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles, until very soft and mashable.
Whisk the cooked lentils until creamy, then set the pot over low heat.
Fold the saffron-infused milk and fresh cream into the simmering base. Cook for 5 minutes, until the dal turns pale gold.
5 min
Heat the ghee in a tempering pan. Add the cumin seeds, cloves and green cardamom and let them sizzle until fragrant.
Add the finely chopped garlic and fry until deep golden brown. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the red chilli powder straight away.
Pour the hot tempering over the creamy dal at once.
For the dhungar smoking, heat the piece of charcoal on an open flame until it glows red. Sit it in a small steel bowl and float that on the dal. Spoon the measured ghee onto the coal, cover the pot tightly and leave it to smoke for 10 minutes.
10 min
Lift out the charcoal bowl and serve the smoked dal.

How to tell it's done

The dal should be very smooth and velvety, with a milky-gold colour and no visible whole lentils.

Getting it right

Tip

Use dhungar lightly; about 10 minutes gives the dal a smoky aroma without making it acrid.

What to serve it with

Serve dal sultani with sheermal, laccha paratha or fragrant jeera rice.

Common mistakes

The dal tastes smoky and harsh.: Use a small piece of coal and stop the dhungar after about 10 minutes. Too much smoke covers the saffron and dairy.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate dal sultani in a shallow covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently until hot without boiling hard; freezing is not recommended because the milk and cream can split.

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Ingredients