Drew the Tasmaniac posted 01-12-99
From Kerala (Coastal South-western India
Mrs K.M. Mathew's Dahl Curry - Dahl with coconut milk
(Molaghashyam)
1 cup skinned dahl or yellow split peas
1/8 tsp. ground tumeric
1 tbls. peeled and very finely chopped shallots
1 tsp. ground cumin seeds
3-4 whole fresh green chillies slit down their middle
4 tbls. vegetable oil or 2 tbls. coconut oil and 2 tbls. ghee
1/2 tsp. whole black mustard seeds
10-12 fresh or dried curry leaves
1-2 whole hot dried red chillies broken up into 2-4 pieces each
2 tbls. peeled and finely sliced shallots
2 cloves garlic peeled and finely chopped
5 oz. (1 medium) sized tomato chopped
3/4 - 1 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups tinned or fresh unsweetened coconut milk
Pick over the dal and wash it in several changes of water; drain. Put in a heavy based pan and add 3 3/4 cups water as well as the tumeric. Bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cover, leaving the lid slightly ajar. Simmer the dal for about 45 minutes.
Now put in the chopped shallots and ground cumin. Stir, cover in the same way as before and cook for another 15 minutes. Add the green chillies and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the dal is tender. If the dal seems too thick at any point, add up to 1/2 cup of boiling water.
The dal, at this stage should be like a thick paste-like soup. Leave on a very low heat as you complete the final step.
Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a medium flame. When hot put in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop. (this take a few seconds) put in the curry leaves and the red chillies. When the red chillies darken (this happens almost immediately) put in all the sliced shallots and garlic. Stir and fry until the shallots turn a reddish-brown color. Now add the tomato pieces. Stir and fry until they soften.
Pour the entire contents of the small frying pan into the dal. Add the salt and mix. Add the coconut milk and stir it in. The dal may be cooked several hours ahead of time and then reheated.