This recipe was originally created at my restaurant in support of the #blacklivesmatter movement in 2013. It’s a warming soup, perfect for a cold rainy day either on its own, with rice or bread. Garnish with fresh herbs such as cilantro or mint.

Black Dal

Recipe details

Serves

6-8

For the Black Dal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup black chickpeas
  • 2 cups black urad dal
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger
  • 2 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons smoky black cardamom masala, recipe follows
  • 1 can tomato paste, mixed with 1 cup warm water

Method

  1. Rinse black chickpeas and dal, separately. Soak each in cold water, at room temperature, ideally overnight, but at least 10 hours.
  2. Drain the chickpeas and dal and transfer to a medium saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil over high heat; once bubbling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the chickpeas and dal are soft, about 45 minutes. Allow to cool a little, then transfer the chickpea-dal mixture and a cup or two of the cooking liquid to the bowl of a blender or use an immersion blender. Purée, adding enough liquid to make a pourable consistency.
  3. Melt the butter in a medium-sized stockpot over medium heat. Add the onions and salt, and cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and stir. Add the masala spice mix and cook, stirring as they become fragrant. Deglaze with the tomato paste-water mixture; cook stirring vigorously and scraping the pan combined, about 2 minutes. Pour in the puréed dal and bring up to a boil. Reduce the heat to a low and simmer gently for 15 to 25 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

For the Smoky Black Cardamom Masala

Ingredients

  • ½ cup fennel seed
  • ⅓ cup black peppercorns
  • ¼ cup coriander seed
  • 2 tablespoons cumin seed
  • ¼ teaspoon green cardamom pods
  • 10 black cardamom pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves
  • 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place fennel, peppercorns, coriander, cumin, green and black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon on sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove when fragrant and you begin to see slight wisps of smoke coming off the spices. Set aside to cool. Grind the spices all together in a spice or coffee grinder. Transfer to a container with a tightly fitting lid. Store in a dark place for up to one month.

To Serve

Ingredients

  • Fresh cilantro leaves
  • Fresh mint leaves

Method

  1. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and top with roughly chopped cilantro or mint leaves. Serve immediately.