Chickpea Daal (indian)

Total Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 10
• 2 cups chickpeas (not canned)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 large chopped onions
• 10 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 inch chopped ginger (finely chopped or put in food processor)
• 2 chopped tomatoes, skins removed (to be processed in 1/2 tomato portions at a time)
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 0.25 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 small potatoes, cut into chunks
• 2 teaspoons chana masala (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dry crushed red pepper
• 2 tablespoons garam masala (found in indian stores or ethnic food section)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• water

Recipe

• 1 wash chickpeas in water.
• 2 put chickpeas in fresh water with salt, two parts water to one part chickpeas.
• 3 leave overnight to soak.
• 4 put chickpeas (with water they were soaked in) into a large pot. top up water to maintain 2 parts water to 1 part chickpea ratio if necessary. bring water to a boil.
• 5 cover and turn down to medium (level 5) heat, skim off any foam.
• 6 leave to simmer until chickpeas are tender, usually 2 or 3 hours.
• 7 take off heat.
• 8 in a large pot, sauté onions and garlic on high heat, then turn down to (medium-high) level 8.
• 9 when onions are thoroughly transparent put in ginger.
• 10 continue to sauté until mixture is sticking to bottom and brown bits are evident.
• 11 put onion mixture in a food processor and mix (not steadily) until smooth.
• 12 process tomato, 1/2 tomato portions at a time.
• 13 put mixture back into large pot.
• 14 add green onion.
• 15 heat should be at (medium-high) level 8.
• 16 when mixture starts to bubble add tomato paste.
• 17 stir for 1 to 2 minutes until butter is released and mixture does not stick to pot.
• 18 add in potatoes.
• 19 add in chana masala.
• 20 reduce heat to level 7.
• 21 put in chickpeas with a slotted spoon.
• 22 water is not put in, but put aside for later.
• 23 mix for about 2 minutes add in red pepper, masala.
• 24 mix for a further 2 minutes.
• 25 add water from chickpeas, additional water can be added to give mixture a watery consistency (mixture should not be too thick looking initially, as mixture will reduce, usually you can add in another cup of water).
• 26 add turmeric.
• 27 bring mixture to a boiling point on max heat, then reduce heat to level 7. cover partially and mix infrequently.
• 28 once potatoes are tender, the daal is done.
• 29 this daal is typically eaten with indian bread- naan or chapati.
• 30 as with most indian cooking there is no"true" recipe, the cook decides what the recipe needs (somewhat of a hit and miss strategy, but it works).
• 31 if you are unable to find garam masala the following can be used: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon cracked dried bay leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.