Bringing delicate flavours to dal

No Indian thali is complete without dal, which despite its humble appearance comes in a multitude of forms. There's the comforting yellow dal made every day in North Indian homes. Dal fry and dal tadka, according to me, are best made in Irani hotels (try it with maska pav). Then there's a creamy cousin, Dal Makhani. And finally the Maharashtrian aamthi.

The name Balti Dal, however, had me stumped. According to the recipe book, the Balti style of preparation originated in the Kashmir region. Author Pat Chapman in his book Curry Club Balti Curry traces the Balti cuisine to Baltistan in Pakistan. According to him, Balti cooking borrows liberally from the Chinese and Tibetan styles of cooking, Moghul tastes, Kashmiri spices, as well as the Mirpuri heritage.

Inspired by all this, I announced there would be Balti Dal for dinner. My folks were far less enthused to begin with, but an hour later there was a considerable improvement in their mood.

How to make it
Ingredients: Tur dal (1 cup), onion seeds (1 tsp), garlic (1 tsp crushed), ginger (1 tbsp crushed), turmeric (1/2 tsp), chilli powder (1/2-1 tsp), coriander leaves (2 tbsp, more the merrier), lemon juice (according to taste), spring onions (1 bunch, or julienne 2 medium-sized onions), capsicum (1, cut into thin strips), tomatoes (1-2, cut into chunky pieces)

Cook the tur dal, but don’t overdo it — it must be firm, not watery.
You begin by cooking the tur dal, but don't overcook it — it needs to be firm, not watery. You can pressure-cook it; turn the flame off after two whistles. Heat 1-2 tbsp of oil in a kadhai. When the oil is hot, add the onion seeds and fry for 3-4 minutes. From now on keep the flame medium. Add the dal and continue frying for another five minutes. In goes the ginger, garlic, turmeric, chilli powder, salt and onion. Mix well and cook for another 5 min, stirring continuously.

By now the mixture will have thickened. Add a little water to loosen the mixture, but only just. Add capsicum, tomatoes, coriander leaves, and lemon juice. Turn the flame off after 2-3 minutes and let it stand for about five minutes.   

What I learnt
Apart from learning how to cook up a delicious new dish, preparing Balti Dal gave me fresh insights into how ingredients can be used. None of the flavours dominate. I ha d never heard of onion seeds (kalonji) in my South Indian household. It releases an excellent flavour in oil. Then there's the interplay of garlic, ginger, and lemon. And because the ginger and garlic are not fried, the flavour they add is delicate — no hint of pungency. The veggies too are not fried and are semi-cooked, making them light, healthy and crunchy. Coriander leaves add the necessary dash of freshness.
Serve Balti Dal with chappatis or bread, and take a bow.