MOOG-DAL

Ingredients

• 250 grams (approx. 1/2 seer) Fried moog-dal (roasted split mung beans, husked) (Traditional fried moog-dal is made by dry-roasting whole mung beans in a pot for a few minutes until fragrant, then grinding and husking them. Pre-roasted split mung dal (dhuli moong dal) available at Indian grocery stores is a suitable modern equivalent.)
• 30 grams (approx. 1 chhatak) Ghee (Clarified butter. Available at most supermarkets or Indian grocery stores.)
• 2 grams (approx. 1/2 tola) Ground turmeric (Use powdered turmeric. Approximately 1/2 teaspoon.)
• 2 grams (approx. 1/2 tola combined) Black pepper and cumin seeds (combined, pasted or powdered) (Use equal parts black pepper and cumin seeds, ground together into a powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Approximately 1/4 teaspoon each.)
• 2 grams (approx. 1/2 tola) Coriander (pasted or powdered) (Ground coriander powder. Approximately 1/2 teaspoon.)
• 4 leaves (a few) Cassia leaves (Indian bay leaves / tej patta) (Also known as tej patta. Do not substitute with Mediterranean bay leaves — they have a different flavour. Find them at Indian grocery stores.)
• 3 to 4 chillies Dried red chillies (Use whole dried red chillies, broken into pieces before adding to the ghee.)
• 5 grams (approx. 1 1/4 tola) Salt (Approximately 1 teaspoon. Adjust to taste.)
• 4 grams (approx. 1 tola) Sugar (Approximately 1 teaspoon. Adds a subtle sweetness characteristic of Bengali dal.)
• 950 ml (approx. 1 seer) Water (Approximately 4 cups. You may need a little more if the dal absorbs water quickly.)
• 1 pinch Panch-foron (A Bengali five-spice blend of fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard, and fennel seeds. Available at Indian grocery stores.)

Instructions

1. 1Pour the water (approximately 950 ml / 4 cups) into a medium-to-large saucepan. Place it over high heat and bring it to a full rolling boil. This is your base for cooking the dal.
2. 2While the water heats, place the fried moog-dal in a bowl and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water, swirling it with your hand and draining the water 2–3 times until the water runs mostly clear. Once the water in the saucepan is boiling, carefully add the washed dal to the pot.
3. 3Place a lid on the saucepan but leave a small gap — about 1–2 cm — so steam can escape and the dal does not boil over. Reduce the heat to medium. As the dal cooks, a grey or white foam (scum) will rise to the surface. Use a spoon or ladle to skim this off every few minutes throughout the entire cooking time. This keeps the dal clean and pleasant in flavour. Continue cooking until the dal grains are completely soft and beginning to break down, approximately 20–25 minutes.
4. 4Once the dal grains are fully soft (you can press one easily between your fingers), stir in the ground turmeric and the sugar. Mix well to incorporate them evenly into the dal. Continue simmering.
5. 5Continue cooking until the dal has fully melted and broken down into a smooth, thick liquid — it should have a porridge-like consistency with no whole grains remaining. At this point, stir in the powdered (or pasted) pepper-and-cumin mixture and the powdered (or pasted) coriander. Mix well.
6. 6Stir in the salt, taste, and adjust if needed. Remove the saucepan from the heat and set aside. The cooked dal liquid is now ready to be tempered.
7. 7In a separate saucepan or deep-sided pan (larger is safer to avoid spluttering), heat the ghee over medium-high heat. Once the ghee is hot and shimmering, add the cassia leaves, the dried red chillies broken into rough pieces, and the panch-foron. Let them sizzle and fry together. Watch carefully — once the red chillies turn dark (almost black), this is your cue for the next step. This typically takes 1–2 minutes. Do not walk away from the pan during this step.
8. 8Once the red chillies have turned dark or black, carefully and slowly pour the cooked dal liquid into the pan with the ghee tempering. IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE: The hot ghee will cause the liquid dal to splutter and bubble vigorously when it hits the pan. To avoid burns, pour slowly from a ladle rather than all at once, hold the pot away from your body, and keep your face and hands back from the pan. Stir gently to combine the dal with the tempered ghee.
9. 9Bring the combined dal and tempering to a boil over medium-high heat and let it boil for a few minutes more — about 3–5 minutes — stirring occasionally. This allows the flavours of the tempering to infuse fully into the dal. Remove from heat. The dal is ready to serve. It should be a smooth, lightly spiced, aromatic liquid dal.