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Coconut masoor chana daal

By Sukaina SyedOrigin: Zanzibar
Channa DalRed LentilsVegetarianVegan
Coconut masoor chana daal

Flavour Notes

A spicy, coconut daal

I grew up attending the same Khoja Shia mosque as Sukaina Aunty in Brampton. Her coconut daal was the first time I ever had coconut in a daal and it inspired me. I am grateful she not only shared this recipe but also taught me to cook it in her kitchen, along with imparting other cooking knowledge.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of masoor daal (red lentils)
  • 1/2 cup of channa daal (skinned, split chickpeas)
  • 1 small onion
  • 1/2 large tomato
  • 6 small-medium cloves of garlic
  • 2 green chilis
  • 3-4 tbsp of canola oil
  • 2 tsp of dry fenugreek leaves
  • 2 heaping tbsp of coconut powder
  • 1/4 tsp of cayenne powder
  • 1 dried red chili

Method

  1. soak masoor daal and channa daal overnight in water
  2. Drain water from daal and add to pressure cooker. Add 2-3 cups of water and pressure cook for 10 min. (If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can boil it on the stove top with the lid on for at least 40-60 min until channa is soft)
  3. When daal/lentils are ready, blend with a hand blender, or regular blender until smooth.
  4. Chop onion to a medium dice.
  5. Chop tomato, slice the garlic cloves (you want to taste garlic in your mouth).
  6. Slice the 2 green chilis
  7. In a large pot, add 2-3 tbsp of canola oil and heat on medium high.
  8. Fry the onions for a couple of minutes. Then add the garlic, chilis and fry for another 1-2 min.
  9. Turn the heat down to medium low and then add chopped tomatoes
  10. Add 1.5 - 2 tsp of dry methi/fenugreek leaves
  11. When daal is cooked and blended, add to the onion mixture. Stir and boil.
  12. Mix coconut powder with 1/2 cup of water and mix thoroughly to get rid of any lumps. Then add to the daal, stir nad simmer for a few minutes
  13. Make tempering in a separate pan. Heat 1 tbsp of oil on high. Add 1/4 tsp of cayenne and 1 dried red chili broken. Heat this up for a moment be careful not to burn it.
  14. When fragrant, remove from heat and add to daal pot. Sir and it is ready to serve.