Dal Bhat

Method

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1. Rinse the rice, cook it in 600 ml of water with a pinch of salt, covered, for 15 minutes, then leave off the heat for 10 minutes.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

2. Put the lentils, water, turmeric and salt in a pot and simmer for 20 minutes, until the lentils have broken down. Whisk to a smooth, thin soup.

   Mark done Start 20 min timer

3. Heat the 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan, add the cumin seeds, garlic and dried chillies and fry for 1 minute, until the garlic is golden. Pour it, sizzling, into the dal.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

4. For the tarkari, heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds and onion. Cook for 6 minutes, then add the garlic, ginger and tomato and cook for 4 minutes.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

5. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, chilli powder and salt, then the cauliflower, potatoes and water. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

6. For the achar, char the whole tomatoes and chillies under a hot grill for 10 minutes, until blistered. Peel the tomatoes, then blend or pound them with the chillies, garlic, coriander, lime juice and salt to a coarse relish.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

7. Serve the rice on a large plate with the dal in a bowl, the tarkari and the achar alongside.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Pour the tempered oil into the dal while it is still sizzling. It is what gives dal its fragrance.
• Keep the dal thin. It should be a soup to pour, not a thick stew.
• Char the tomatoes until blackened in places. It gives the achar a smoky depth.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the red chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• Lemon is the everyday swap for lime in this kind of dish — the acidity plays the same role even though the flavour is not identical.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Papad
• Yoghurt
• Pickled radish

Storage & Reheating

Keep the dal and tarkari in the fridge up to 4 days. Cook the rice fresh.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.