PEAS

Ingredients

• 900 g Husked and split dried peas (matar dal) (Approximately 1 seer. Rinse well before using. Look for yellow split peas or dried white peas split in two at an Indian grocery store.)
• 120 g Ghee (Approximately ½ powa. Divided into two equal portions of about 60 g each.)
• 24 g Fresh ginger (Approximately 2 tolas. Peeled. Will be ground into a paste.)
• 12 g Cumin seeds (Approximately 1 tola. Will be ground into a paste.)
• 24 g Coriander seeds (Approximately 2 tolas. Will be ground into a paste.)
• 6 g Black pepper (Approximately ½ tola. Will be ground into a paste.)
• 6 g Salt (Approximately ½ chhatak. Adjust to taste.)
• 6 g Garam masala (powdered) (Approximately ½ tola. Used in the finishing tempering step.)
• 1800 ml Water (Approximately 2 seers. Used to dilute the spice paste and cook the dal.)
• 4 leaves Cassia leaves (tej patta / Indian bay leaves) (A few leaves. These are Indian bay leaves (tej patta), not the same as Mediterranean bay leaves. Find them at Indian grocery stores.)

Instructions

1. 1Place the peeled fresh ginger (24 g), cumin seeds (12 g), coriander seeds (24 g), and black pepper (6 g) into a mortar and pestle or small blender. Grind everything together until you have a smooth, thick paste — add a tiny splash of water if needed to help it blend. Pour the 1800 ml of water into a large bowl or jug. Add the spice paste and the salt (6 g) to the water and stir well until fully combined. Set this spiced water aside.
2. 2Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add half of the ghee (approximately 60 g) and let it melt and heat until shimmering. Add the husked and split dried peas (900 g) to the pot. Stir the peas continuously as they cook in the ghee, browning them gently. This should take about 5–7 minutes. You will notice the peas begin to turn a light golden colour and give off a nutty aroma — this is what you are aiming for. Be careful not to let them burn.
3. 3Carefully pour the spiced water prepared in Step 1 into the pot with the browned dal. Stir to combine. Raise the heat to bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the dal is thoroughly soft and completely cooked through — this will take approximately 25–30 minutes depending on the age and type of your dried peas. The dal is ready when the peas are fully tender and beginning to break down. Remove the pot from the heat and set aside.
4. 4In a separate, smaller pan or skillet, heat the remaining half of the ghee (approximately 60 g) over medium heat. Once the ghee is hot and shimmering, add the cassia leaves (tej patta) and the powdered garam masala (6 g). Stir gently. Heat this mixture until you can clearly smell the fragrance of the spices blooming — this typically takes about 1–2 minutes. Do not leave unattended as the spices can scorch quickly. You are looking for an aromatic, fragrant smell to rise from the pan.
5. 5Once the tempering smells fragrant (from Step 4), carefully pour the boiled dal from Step 3 into the pan with the tempering, or alternatively pour the tempering into the pot of dal — either method works. Stir well to fully incorporate the spiced ghee, cassia leaves, and garam masala through the dal. Return the pot to medium heat.
6. 6Continue to cook the combined dal over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches your preferred consistency. If you like a thinner dal, remove it from the heat sooner; for a thicker, stew-like texture, cook it a little longer, allowing the liquid to reduce. Once you are happy with the thickness, remove the pot from the heat. The dal is now ready to serve.