Description
Dal on pasta with a spoonful of achaar is a flavorful and easy weekday lunch option. This recipe uses a mix of masoor and toor dal, paired with lumache pasta, and seasoned with turmeric, coriander, cumin, Kashmiri chilies, and curry leaves.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup red lentils (masoor dal)
- ⅓ cup split yellow pigeon peas (toor dal)
- 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable stock
- 2½ teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 tablespoons ghee (or a neutral oil, like canola)
- 12 to 16 fresh curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder
- 2 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
- 8 ounces lumache pasta (a.k.a. pipe rigate)
- 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Plain whole-milk yogurt, for serving
- Tomato or garlic achaar, for serving (optional)
Method
- Rinse the lentils and peas in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs clear.
- To cook on the stovetop, soak the rinsed lentils and peas in cold water for at least 30 minutes and up to 6 hours, then drain and transfer to a medium saucepan along with the stock, 1½ teaspoons of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the turmeric.
- Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are cooked through and starting to fall apart, 30 to 40 minutes; it’s okay if not all of the liquid has been absorbed.
- To use a pressure cooker, transfer the rinsed lentils and peas to an electric pressure cooker (like an Instant Pot) along with the stock, 1½ teaspoons of the salt, and 1 teaspoon of the turmeric. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes and allow to naturally release for 10 minutes. Release the pressure and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, bring 3 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of the salt to a boil in a pot.
- Use a spice grinder or mortar and pestle to pulse or pound the coriander and cumin seeds until very coarsely ground.
- Heat the ghee in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering.
- Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds, and crushed coriander-cumin mixture and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and the coriander and cumin turn a shade darker, 30 to 45 seconds.
- Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until golden around the edges, 4 to 7 minutes.
- Add the chili powder and remaining ½ teaspoon of turmeric and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Stir in 1½ cups of water, the tomatoes, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes start to break down, 4 to 7 minutes.
- Stir in the cooked lentil mixture and any residual cooking liquid, cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Reheat before proceeding with step 5 and note that it may tighten up quite a bit, so will need to be thinned with some pasta cooking water before serving.
- Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the low end of the package instructions.
- Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta, shaking off the excess water, and immediately transfer it to the pot with the lentil mixture.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring often, until the pasta is firm and meaty (al dente), 2 to 4 minutes.
- If necessary, add the reserved pasta water 2 tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cilantro and lemon juice, then transfer the pasta and dal to a serving bowl or individual bowls.
- Dollop with yogurt, sprinkle with more cilantro, add a spoonful of achaar, if desired, and serve.