Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp – Channa dal
• 3 tbsp – tur dal
• 4 tbsp – masoor dal
• 4 tbsp – moong dal
• 2 tbsp – Urad Dal
• 1 cup – tightly packed Fenugreek leaves (plucked, washed and drained)
• 1 cup – Spinach tightly packed, chopped (leaves only)
• 1 cup – dill tightly packed, chopped (suva bhaji)
• 1- big onion, chopped
• 1 – big tomato, deseeded and chopped
• 8 Cloves – garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1.5 inch – Ginger piece, cleaned and crushed
• 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 level tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 3 tbsp – oil or Ghee
• 2 tbsp – Lemon juice
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp – fresh green Coriander leaves chopped for garnishing
• For tempering:
• 2 tbsp – Ghee
• 1 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp – Ginger thinly cut into strips
• 2 – Green chillies slit
• 1 tbsp – Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp – Coriander seeds slightly crushed
• A pinch of Turmeric powder
• To be lightly dry roasted and powdered:
• 5 – black peppercorns, 2 – cloves, 1/4 tsp – Fenugreek seeds, 1 – green cardamom, 1 tsp – cumin seeds, 1/2 inch – Cinnamon stick, A pinch of Nutmeg grated (jaiphal), 1 blade of Mace (javitri)

Method:

1. Clean, wash and soak dals for 30 mins.
2. Boil and cook dals with 4 cups of water and a pinch of salt, turmeric powder, crushed ginger and 4 cloves of crushed garlic (dal should be soft but not mushy).
3. Heat ghee in a pan and fry onions till pinkish brown.
4. Add the remaining crushed garlic and fry for a minute.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and red chilli powder and stir fry till tomatoes are soft.
6. Now add the chopped spinach, dill, fenugreek leaves and the salt. Mix and cook for five minutes.
7. Add the cooked dal mix and the prepared dry roasted powders and cook on low flame for 5 to 7 mins.
8. Adjust salt and mix in the lemon juice.
9. Switch off the flame.
10. Prepare tadka by heating 2 tbsp ghee in a skillet, adding mustard seeds. When it starts to crackle, add cumin seeds, coriander seeds, slit green chillies, ginger strips and a pinch of turmeric and fry for a minute.
11. Pour this hot tadka over the dal at once and mix.
12. Garnish with chopped green coriander and serve with naan, pulao and pickles.

Recipe courtesy of Ash