Name: Kashmiri Dal-e-Khaas
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup Split Black Gram (Skinless), white urad dal, soaked; 1¾ cup Water, for boiling; ½ tbsp Fennel Powder, saunf powder, key Kashmiri spice; ½ tsp Ground Dried Ginger, saunth; 1 tbsp Mustard Oil, for tempering; ⅛ tsp Asafoetida, hing; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds, for tadka; ½ Black Cardamom, crushed slightly; 1½ Cloves, whole; ½ tsp Salt, to taste

1 hr 40 mintotal

40 min hands-on1 hr hands-off

Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Low

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Method

Unite the soaked gram, water, salt, fennel powder, and dry ginger powder within a pressure cooker.
Cook on medium heat for 3-4 whistles. The dal should yield easily but not dissolve into a paste.
After the pressure releases, open the cooker and whisk lightly so the dal turns semi-creamy while keeping some grain.
To construct the temper, heat the mustard oil in a small pan until it achieves its smoking point, obliterating impurities. Cut the heat momentarily to drop the temperature.
Return to low heat. Add the black cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds, and let them bloom in the oil.
Add the asafoetida, instantly cascading the hyper-seasoned, hot oil directly into the waiting lentil base.
Mix well and simmer for 2 minutes so the spices settle into the dal.
2 min

How to tell it's done

The dal should be pale, mildly spiced and almost milky, with mustard oil and sweet fennel coming through clearly.

Getting it right

Tip

Fennel and dry ginger carry the Kashmiri flavour here, so do not replace them with onion, garlic or tomato.

What to serve it with

Serve with steamed basmati rice or soft Kashmiri breads.

Common mistakes

The dal turns dark or tastes like a regular onion-tomato dal.: Keep the seasoning Kashmiri: fennel, dry ginger, asafoetida and mustard oil. Do not add tomato or brown the dal heavily.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate dal-e-khaas in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently until hot with water if it thickens; freeze for up to 2 months.

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