Dal takes a California turn

Dal is a beloved staple for many in India, a dish that represents simplicity in Hindu cooking. The word “dal” itself can refer to both beans and lentils, and you will find the two versions used interchangeably at times. As one can expect, there are many dal variations across India — the combination and choice of spices change, and the type of acid can also change, such as tamarind and kokum (a fruit from the mangosteen family) or the more traditional limes (true lemons are hard to find in India).

Lentils fall into the family of pulses. They’re tiny round little seeds that come in a variety of colors, from pale pink to dark black with varying degrees of thickness and you can purchase them whole or split. The red and yellow varieties are usually sold split, and are quicker to cook because they’re so thin. There is no need to presoak them in water.

Besides their high protein content, lentils also contain a decent amount of starch and carbohydrates which can be quite advantageous when you want to thicken a soup or a stew. Thicker lentils — like the green (Lentilles du Puy or French lentils), brown and black varieties — take a little longer to cook and also hold their shape and structure well. This quality makes them ideal candidates for salads, but you can use them in stews and soups, too — as well as in the Middle Eastern mujadara where rice and lentils are seasoned, cooked and then tossed with crispy fried onions.

Lentils are cheap, nourishing and quick to cook en masse. I’m going to go a step further and say that lentils are a spectacular way to use up leftovers, too. Often, I find myself looking at a handful of spinach or arugula sitting in my vegetable drawer, alongside odd bits and ends of leftover raw vegetables like carrots and cauliflower. All of them can go into a pot of dal.

The tricks? First, season and cook the vegetables to the desired degree of doneness before you fold them in to the lentils. There are two important additions at the end that really brighten up the dal: the hot oil seasoned with spices that is drizzled on top and finally the splash of acid that adds tanginess to the stew.

Garlic Dal With Arugula

Serve this dish hot with plain rice or flatbread, or with a bit of plain yogurt or a salad. Typically, I use ghee or olive oil, but coconut oil can also be used. It is not mandatory to add asafetida when cooking with alliums like garlic and onions in Indian cooking. Asafetida is used as a substitute by certain Hindu communities when they cannot consume alliums in their diet; it recreates that flavor.

Serves 4

1 cup split-red lentils, washed and rinsed 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 2 tablespoons ghee or olive oil

1 cup arugula

½ teaspoon fine sea salt Juice of ½ lime

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 1 serrano pepper, finely sliced (deseeded if desired)

Instructions: Fill a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water, lentils and turmeric. Bring to a boil on high heat, then reduce to low and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Remove from heat.

While the lentils are cooking, prepare the arugula. In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee or olive oil on mediumhigh heat. Add the arugula, and saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the leaves start to wilt. Transfer the leaves to the lentils in the saucepan. Return to heat and cook on medium-high for 2 minutes. Then add the salt and stir in the lime juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Remove from heat.

In the same skillet, heat the remaining ghee or olive oil on medium-high heat. Add the garlic, cumin, serrano and cook for 30 to 45 seconds until you just start to smell their aroma. Pour the hot seasoning directly over the lentils and serve immediately.

Photos by Nik Sharma

To make his dal (top), Nik Sharma adds gently-cooked arugula (above) and spices it up with garlic and serrano peppers (left).