Recipe: My Father's traditional Dhal Masoor

Sensory memories are an incredible thing. Whether the smell of petrol and fuel remind you of a particular family road trip, or the taste of a McDonald's cheeseburger reminds you of when you grazed your knee on the playground and your mother bought you one as a treat, these memories stick.

For me, flavour makes up some of the most prominent memories in my life. With a father from Pakistan and a mother from Bristol, cultural fusions of styles and cuisine is just something that's engrained in my childhood. Both my parents are great cooks who love being in the kitchen, and it's a hobby that I'm truly grateful has rubbed off on me.

Dhal is a really popular asian dish for many reasons. It's vegan, gluten-free, low in calories, and just absolutely delicious. Some people eat Dhal thinner, like a soup or stew, and others eat it thick enough to spread on toast. This recipe sits in the middle - it's sturdy enough to hold shape, but loose enough that the lentils hold their structure and don't become paste-like.

One thing to note is that often people cook their dhal in water – like soup, without adding a fat element once the lentils have cooked and soaked up the liquid. It will still taste good, but the element of fat softens, silkens and intensifies the flavours in the dish. This is called a tarka, and is often a mixture of oil, onion and spices. The tarka is included in this recipe.

The man behind the recipe! My father, Hamid.

The man behind the recipe! My father, Hamid.

This Dhal reminds me of quiet. Quiet evenings sat around the dinner table, often without chatter after long tiring days, with a bowl of comfort to revive you. It reminds me of quiet and wholesome process: the activity of washing the lentils, chopping the vegetables, listening and smelling the flavours deepen as it simmers.

This recipe is my father's, and in my opinion, requires no adaptation. I tend to experiment with a lot of my cooking, rebelling against recipes and following my internal flavour guide, but some things should be left as is. This is the traditional recipe that was passed down through my father's family, that his mother taught him, and that he has now taught me.

Dhal Masoor

A red lentil curry, to be eaten with rice, naan, or enjoyed by itself

Prep time30min

Cook time1h

Total time1h 30min

Serves4

CuisinePakistani

MealDinner

Ingredients

• 250g red lentils
• 2 large white onions
• 4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1tsp garam masala
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp or to taste
• 2 green chillies chopped
• 250g of tinned tomatoes (or fresh if you have them!)
• 4cm nugget of root ginger
• 1/2 tsp of nigella seeds (aka black onion seeds/ kalonji)
• 1/2 tsp of cumin seeds
• 150ml of veg/sunflower/rapeseed oil
• handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Soak the lentils in tepid water and rub lightly. Poor off water and rinse 3-4 times (until the water runs slightly clearer)
2. Put lentils in a large saucepan and cover with around 3cm of water.
3. Add 1 chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, turmeric, garam masala, chillies, salt and half of the ginger, roughly chopped.
4. Bring to the boil, then cover the pan and simmer until most of the water is gone. This usually takes 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. During this time, thinly slice the other onion along the grain, and peel the remaining ginger and slice lengthways into sticks.
6. If after the hour there is still a lot of excess water in the pan, take the lid off, turn the heat up and allow the water to evaporate.
7. Just as the water has almost gone in the pan, check seasoning and adjust if required (it will likely need more salt).
8. Heat the oil in a frying pan, and once the oil is hot, add the sliced onion and ginger sticks.
9. Fry until golden brown, then turn to medium heat and add the cumin and nigella seeds.
10. Continue frying on medium heat until the onions are dark brown but not burnt.
11. Pour all the contents of the frying pan into the dhal and stir gently. let it simmer for five minutes, stir in the coriander if using, and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Try not to stir the dhal while it's simmering – it can break up the lentil structure and make it paste-like. If you end up having excess water and so need to take the lid off and evaporate, you will need to stir every now and again to avoid burning. Do it gently and you'll be fine.

Recipe by

Hamid Nawaz-Khan