Langarwali dal

Also known as Amritsari dal - this lentil dish is served in Gurudwaras all across India during a langar - the large community kitchens. People sit and eat food together and the places are run by Sikh community volunteers. Hence the name langarwali dal!  

I remember going to the largest Sikh temple in Delhi and taking part in a langar. It truly was an amazing experience - you feel so welcome no matter where you are from and what you believe in. And of course, the food was tasty!
 

This dal differs from other dals made from black gram, due to the addition of chana dal (spilt bengal gram). Whereas a black dal like dal makhani would include the addition of cream to make it rich, langarwali dal gets its creamy texture from slow cooking the lentils. Quite often in the Gurudwaras the lentils are just left to simmer in the pot until they are done. However, as we are often pushed for time, a pressure cooker becomes a easy way to cook the lentils quickly. However, if you want the true langarwali dal then you need to slow cook the lentils for a long time - there are no two ways about it. In this recipe I also soak the lentils beforehand to speed up on cooking time in the pressure cooker.

This recipe makes use of simple ingredients & spices, there is no fancy cooking involved. I like to finish of with a tadka of ghee, kashmiri red chillies & garlic for an extra kick, but this is not usually what would be served. But recipes open to interpretation right? 

Lets make langarwali dal! 

Ingredients 

Serves 4

For pressure cooking the dal
1/2 cup black urad dal (black gram)
1/4 cup chana dal (spilt bengal gram
Water, as required 
1 tsp oil 
1 tsp salt

For the masala 
1 red onion, finely diced
2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped 
1 green chilli, finely chopped 
Small piece ginger, finely chopped 

1 tsp cumin seeds 

1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
Vegetable oil, as required 
Salt to taste 
Coriander to garnish (optional)

For the tadka (optional) 
1/2 tbsp ghee 
2 dried kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces 
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced or chopped

Method 

Cook time - 45 min, plus 4 hours soaking time

• Soak the lentils in plenty of water for 4 hours.
  
  
• Add the soaked lentils to a pressure cooker, and top up with 2 1/2 times of water. Also add the oil and salt. Pressure cook for 8-10 whistles.  Allow the pressure to release naturally and check the consistency. The lentils should be soft and can me mashed easily with a back of a spoon. If the lentils are still hard, cook for a few more whistles. Once cooked, set the lentils aside (making sure to reserve the cooking water) whilst you make the masala. 
  
  
• In a kadai or deep frying pan, add 1-2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Next add the ginger and green chilli and fry for a minute. 
  
  
• Add the onion and saute until translucent, followed by the tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes are really soft. 
  
  
• Add the cooked lentils to the the tomato masala, along with any remaining lentil-cooking water to thin out the dal. Add the kashmiri red chilli powder and salt to taste.
  
  
• Cover and let the dal simmer & blip for 20 minutes until thick and delicious. 
  
  
• To prepare the tadka, heat the ghee in a small frying pan. Once the ghee is hot, add the chopped garlic and sizzle until lightly golden. Next, add the kashmiris and fry for 15-20 seconds until they have plumped up. Pour this ghee-garlic-chilli tadka straight into the simmering dal and mix well. 
  
  
• Garnish with coriander leaves and with fresh chapatis!

This dal will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days, but will become thicker when cooled. When reheating make sure to add a bit of water to adjust the consistency.