Amazing dal, brilliant basmati
Julie Sahni's favorite everyday pink lentils (masar dal), are now mine too. Plus the secret to basmati rice that's absolutely perfect. Thank you, Julie Sahni 🙏
Happy Friday, humble cook!
One night last week, Wylie was in the mood to make butter chicken. Normally, if it were only the three of us, we’d probably just have that with basmati rice and sautéed spinach or another green veg. But a friend was joining us, so I decided to round out the menu with raita and dal.
Have I ever mentioned I LOVE dal? True, I love pulses (or legumes) from all cultures, but sometimes I just crave legumes cooked the Indian way: dal. Particularly pink lentils (masar dal) cooked to a soupy purée — warm, fragrant, beautifully spiced. It’s one of those simple pleasures that make life unimaginably better.
I’d been shopping around for a great basic masar dal recipe — something wonderful I could memorize and make with my eyes closed anytime. I turned to a source I’ve been leaning on more and more when I’m in the mood for something Indian: Julie Sahni’s seminal 1980 co…