BANARAS YELLOW LENTILS WITH PEPPERED MANGO SLICES

This post is connected with the launch of my book, Vegetarianism: A Buddhist View.

This is from my favorite Indian vegetarian recipe book, Julie Sahni’s Classic Indian Vegetarian Cooking.

BANARASI ARHAR DAL

Banaras arhar dal, a dish reminiscent of the north Indian countryside mango groves, coriander patches, and fields of lentils stretching to the horizon – is in fact a simple, humble dish and quite easy to make. The lentils are first cooked to a smooth, creamy consistency. Then the mango slices, spiced with cayenne, cumin, and garam masala, are folded into the dal. Finally fresh coriander is added to perfume and mix the flavours.

In my mother’s home, as a child, I ate this dal with a simple baked bread or a bowl of fluffy plain rice and a vegetable side dish, the most memorable being Bitter Gourd with Spicy Onion Stuffing and with Fragrant Potato Stuffing (pp. 238 and 239).

FOR 6–8 PERSONS

8 oz/250 g yellow lentils (toor dal) or red lentils (masar dal)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 small green mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced
11/2 teaspoons coarse salt, or to taste

FOR THE SPICED BUTTER:
4-5 tablespoons usli ghee (p. 57) or light vegetable oil
11/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
teaspoon garam masala
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

1 Pick clean, wash, and cook the lentils and turmeric in 2 pints (1 liter) water. Stir in the salt. Keep the dal over a low simmer while you make the spiced butter.

2 Measure out the spices and place them right next to the stove in separate piles. Heat the usli ghee in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the cumin. When the cumin turns dark brown (about 12 seconds), add the mango slices (if you are using them). Fry the mangoes, turning and tossing them, until they look slightly soft and cooked (about 8 minutes). Reduce the heat, if necessary.

3 Sprinkle on the cayenne and the garam masala, and continue cooking, turning the mangoes, for 2 more minutes. Turn off the heat and pour the entire contents of the pan over the dal. Add half the chopped coriander and mix well. Serve sprinkled with the remaining coriander.