Dal and Baby Marrows

I was visiting my mom this weekend and had the privilege of being cooked for by her two Bangladeshi friends, Mohsin and Simon. They made a delicious biryani and the best dal I've ever tasted. Of course I got the recipe and added something of my own.

This is super quick to make and is really comforting and filling.

Ingredients:

30g coconut oil (the original recipe calls for a 1/4 cup sunflower oil but I'd like to make it a little lighter)
1 cup red split lentils
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4-5 green chillies, sliced lengthways and seeds removed
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 level tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
3 cups boiling water

Using a sieve and a bowl, wash the lentils thoroughly. They need to be scrubbed together in the bowl of water and drained through the sieve about 5 times so that the water runs clear. On medium heat, fry the onion, garlic, chillies and spices for approx. 5 minutes, then add the drained lentils and continue to fry for another 5 minutes. Add the 3 cups water and bring to the boil in the pan. Turn the temperature down and allow it to simmer until the lentils are cooked through and the dal is thick and saucy. This should take about 10-15 minutes.

For the baby marrows:

8-10 baby marrows
10g coconut oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp dry chilli flakes
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp Himalayan salt


Wash and slice the marrows thinly. In a small pot, toast the ingredients in the oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the marrows and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add a splash of water and cover with a lid so that they steam until soft.

Serve the marrows on top of the dal. If you have a lower tolerance to heat, reduce the amount of chillies you use in both parts of the recipe. Enjoy!