Ghoti Kalai Dal

Ghoti Kalai Dal

Ghoti refers to the people of West Bengal. Kalai/urad dal is good for controlling diabetes because of its alkaline nature. This ginger and 5 spice perfumed dal was a popular dish prepared in my sister's 'shoshur bari' or in-laws' home. During one of our frequent phone calls, she gave me this recipe or rather what I remember of her instructions.

INGREDIENTS 1 cup kalai/urad dal, husked and split 1-1/2 Tbsp. ginger paste 1 tsp. fennel powder 3-4 small, round eggplants, blanched    or 1 Japanese eggplant, cut in bite-size     pieces and blanched 1 bunch red salad radishes, blanched 6-8 baby potatoes, peeled and boiled 2 Tbsp. mustard oil 1 tsp. asafoetida/hing 1 tsp. panch phoron/Bengali 5 spices  2 dry dried red chillies coarsely torn 2 bay leaves 1 tsp. sugar salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Soak urad dal for 6-7 hours or overnight.
2. Cook urad dal, half the ginger paste and salt to taste in a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water for 2-3 whistles/10-15 minutes and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan and add asafoetida/hing.
4. In the same oil, sputter paanch foron, 5 spice seeds, bay leaves and dried chilies.
5. Add half the ginger paste and saute for 2-3 minutes over a medium flame.
6. Pour in the boiled urad dal, and bring to a simmer.
7. Add the potatoes and radishes and simmer until fork tender.
8. Add eggplants and simmer until cooked.
9. Adjust salt and sugar to taste, fennel powder and remaining ginger paste. 
10. Stir well and add some hot water if needed to get the right consistency. 

Serve with rice and any of the following Posto dishes:

Alu Posto

Jhinge Alu Posto

Begun Alu Posto