Punjabi Black Daal (maa ki daal)

Method for boiling daal
1. Wash the daal in at least 2 changes of water, then drain the water off.
2. Next, bring 1 litre of water to the boil in a pressure cooker, then add the washed daal and the piece of ginger, put the pressure cooker lid on, and cook over a low heat for 2 hours. (If you don’t have a pressure cooker, then increase the cooking time to 4 hours)

Ingredients for boiling daal
200g (1 cup) whole black urad daal
1litre water
1 large (10g) piece of fresh ginger

Method for tarka (Fried spices and onions which will be added to the cooked daal)
1. Heat the clarified butter or oil in a heavy based saucepan (over a medium heat), then add the garlic, ginger and chillies and cook until the garlic turns a very light brown.
2. Next add the onions and cook over a low to medium heat for about 5 minutes (until they are soft), then add the cumin seeds and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. After the daal has been cooked in the pressure cooker for 2 hours, remove the whole piece of ginger, then add this mixture of fried onions and spices to the daal with another 250mls of water, and continue cooking it for another 1 hour over a low heat.
4. While the daal is in this final stage of cooking, add 1 teaspoon of garam masala, 1 level teaspoon of salt and 60g of butter.
5. Place a knob of butter or drizzle the fresh cream on top of the daal, and sprinkle some finely chopped fresh coriander on it before serving. (Serve with either hot chapattis or naan).

Ingredients for tarka
50g (3 tablespoons) of clarified butter or vegetable oil
3 cloves garlic (large), crushed
3 teaspoons ginger, finely chopped
1 -2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon salt
60g butter
250 mls water
Fresh coriander, finely chopped (to sprinkle on top of the daal)
A knob of butter or 1 tablespoon of fresh cream – optional, to drizzle on top of the daal before serving