Indian cuisine · Soups & Stews

Sultani Dal

Refined Awadhi lentil dish made from toor dal with cream, yogurt and saffron, gently smoked over charcoal.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 200 g toor dal (split pigeon peas)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 150 g yogurt
• 150 ml cream
• 1/2 tsp saffron threads
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 green chilies
• 1 piece ginger (3 cm)
• 1 piece charcoal for smoking
• 2 cloves
• Salt

Instructions

1. Wash the toor dal, soak for 30 min, and dissolve the saffron in 3 tbsp warm cream so it releases its color.
2. Bring the dal to a boil with 800 ml water, turmeric and salt, and cook covered for 30 min until soft, then whisk into a smooth cream.
3. Stir the yogurt with the remaining cream until smooth, fold slowly into the still-hot but no-longer-boiling dal, and let steep over the lowest heat for 5 min so nothing curdles.
4. Heat the ghee in a pan, toast the cumin seeds for 30 sec, briefly fry the finely grated ginger and the lengthwise-slit chilies, and stir it all into the dal.
5. Heat a piece of charcoal until glowing, set it in a small bowl in the middle of the pot, add the cloves and 1 tsp ghee on top, and immediately seal the pot for 3 min – the dal absorbs the smoke.
6. Remove the bowl, stir in the saffron cream, and serve in deep bowls with rice or naan.