Black Daal

Ingredients:

300g whole (black) urad daal

12g garlic paste

10g ginger paste

70g tomato puree

8g fine sea salt

1/2 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

90g unsalted butter

90ml double cream

Method:

1. Put the daal into a large bowl, over with water and whisk for 10 seconds.  Let the daal settle, then poor out the water.  Repeat 3 or 4 time, until the water is clear.

2. Tip the daal into a large saucepan and pour in at least 4 litres of cold water.  Bring to the boil and cook steadily for 2-3 hours.  Skim off any impurities that rise to the surface, and add more boiling mater as required to keep the grains well covered.  The daal grains need to become completely soft, with the skins coming away from the white grain.  When pressed, the white part should be creamy rather than crumbly.  When cooked, turn off the heat and allow the pan to sit for 15 minutes.

3. In a bowl, mix the garlic and ginger pastes, tomato puree, salt, chilli powder and garam masala to a paste.

4. Carefully pour off the daal cooking water then pour on enough freshly boiled water to cover the daal by 3-4 cms.  Bring to the boil over a medium-high heat and add the aromatic paste and butter.  Cook rapidly for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the mixture from sticking.

5. Lower the heat and simmer for 1-1.5 hours, stirring regularly to prevent it from sticking and adding a little boiling water if the liquid level gets near to the level of the grains.  Eventually, it will become thick and creamy.  The creaminess must come from the grains disintegrating into the liquid and enriching it, not from the water being allowed to evaporate leaving only the grains behind.

6. Add the cream and cook for a further 15 minutes.