Name: Creamy black dhal with crispy onions
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 6 h 35 min
Total time: 7 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 250g black urid beans (also called urid dal, urad dal, black lentils or black gram beans - available from large supermarkets) - yellow split peas also work well; 100g butter or ghee; 2 large white onions halved and thinly sliced; 3 garlic cloves crushed; thumb-sized piece ginger peeled and finely chopped; 2 tsp ground cumin; 2 tsp ground coriander; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp paprika; ¼ tsp chilli powder (optional); small bunch coriander stalks finely chopped, leaves reserved to serve; 400g passata or chopped tomatoes; 1 fat red chilli pierced a few times with the tip of a sharp knife; 50ml double cream; cooked rice naan bread or baked sweet potatoes; coriander; sliced red chilli; lime wedges; yogurt (or a swirl of cream); your favourite Indian pickle or chutney; crispy salad onions (to make your own, see recipe below)

250g black urid beans
(also called urid dal, urad dal, black lentils or black gram beans - available from large supermarkets) - yellow split peas also work well
100g butter
or ghee
2 large white onions
halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves
crushed
thumb-sized piece ginger
peeled and finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
¼ tsp chilli powder
(optional)
small bunch coriander
stalks finely chopped, leaves reserved to serve
400g passata
or chopped tomatoes
1 fat red chilli
pierced a few times with the tip of a sharp knife
50ml double cream

To serve

cooked rice
naan bread or baked sweet potatoes
coriander
sliced red chilli
lime
wedges
yogurt
(or a swirl of cream)
your favourite Indian pickle
or chutney
crispy salad onions
(to make your own, see recipe below)

Method

step 1
Soak the beans in cold water for 4 hrs (or overnight, if you like).
step 2
Melt the butter or ghee in a large pan, then add the onions, garlic and ginger, and cook slowly for 10-15 mins until the onions are starting to caramelise. Stir in the spices, coriander stalks and 100ml water. Pour into the slow cooker (or leave in the pan if cooking on the hob). Add the passata and whole red chilli. Drain the beans and add these too, then top up with 400ml water. Season well, set the slow cooker to Low and cook for 5-6 hrs (or cover and cook for 2 hrs over a very low heat on the hob).
step 3
Once cooked, the dhal should be very thick and the beans tender. Stir in the cream, check the seasoning and serve in bowls with naan bread, rice or in a jacket potato, with your choice of toppings. To freeze the dhal, cool completely, then divide into containers or sandwich bags. Freeze for up to 2 months, defrost and heat thoroughly before eating.