Print Tarka dal with spring greens
A quick dal with added greens - great for a midweek supper. If you have more time, you could add a little more water and cook the mung for longer so they mash down and turn really creamy.
Ingredients
- 125g yellow mung dal (or use red lentils), rinsed well
- Oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
- 1 small onion, finely sliced
- 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
- 2-3cm fresh ginger, peeled & grated
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
- 200g spring greens, rib stalks cut out
- Small handful fresh coriander leaves
- Lemon juice to taste
- for the tarka:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 2 garlic cloves, very finely sliced
- ¼ tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
Method
- Put the mung in a large heatproof bowl, pour over 600ml boiling water and leave to soak.
- Meanwhile, heat a little oil in a large heavy-based saucepan and fry the onion gently for 10 minutes, until soft and translucent, then add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and chilli. Cook for another couple of minutes.
- Skim any scum from the top of the mung, then add them and the soaking liquid to the onion.
- Bring to the boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes, until the mung are cooked through and soft.
- You can mash them lightly if you like, for a creamier texture.
- While the mung are cooking, boil the spring greens for 6-8 minutes until tender.
- Drain and refresh in very cold water, then drain and squeeze out any liquid. Finely shred the leaves.
- To make the tarka, gently heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds, garlic, chilli and cumin. Fry, stirring constantly, for a minute or two, until the mustard seeds pop.
- While the tarka is heating up, stir the spring greens into the mung to warm through, then add the coriander and lemon juice, and serve, drizzled with the tarka.
