Well, that’s another year gone by! 2014 went out in a flurry of the usual year-end social activities, and the new year got off to a somewhat dull and dreary start, weather wise.

Vancouver spent the better part of the first two weeks of 2015 blanketed in layers of fog. At the end of January, the mists are still toying with the landscape, wrapping and unwrapping the winter-bare trees, hovering below the mountains and floating low over the waters. The sound of foghorns sounding off boats and ships on the waterways, lends a mournful gravitas to the winter-bleak landscape.

After indulging in rather too many good things over the December festive season, I’ve returned to the easy comfort of meals of rice and dal. Soft, fragrant steamed rice, savoury lentils, maybe a little ghee…the perfect formula, rain or shine.

There are so many varieties of beans and  lentils to choose from and, especially, given their significant role in Indian cuisine, almost infinite ways to prepare them. But, if I had to pick one kind over all the others, it would be toor dal. Whether seasoned with just salt and a little turmeric, or dressed up with complex, layered spice blends, the distinctive, earthy flavour of toor dal holds its own.

Here is a version of a Kodava standard, togé, that my grandmother made. As always, she had a light hand with spices. In this preparation, it’s the subtle heat from whole green chillis and the warmth of cumin that I really love.

Vary the consistency according to your taste by adjusting the amount of water during cooking.

Togé

Kodava style dal, cooked for comfort

• 1 cup toor dal
• 2-3 green chillis
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp thick tamarind paste
• Salt to taste

Grind together to a smooth paste:

• 1/4 cup grated coconut
• 1 tsp cumin
• Optional: 1 tsp jaggery, for a touch of sweetness

Seasoning:

• 1-2 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsps finely chopped shallots
• 1 dry red chilli, broken into large pieces
• 1 small sprig of curry leaves
• Optional: Mustard seed, crushed garlic cloves

Wash and soak the toor dal for about half an hour in 3 cups of water, then cook together with the whole green chillis (slit them if you’d like more heat) and turmeric. Add salt to taste.

Add the ground coconut paste and simmer gently for a few minutes, then stir in the tamarind and cook for a couple more minutes.

In a small pan, heat the ghee and fry the red chilli, shallots and curry leaves. When the shallots turn golden brown, pour the mixture over the cooked dal.

Serve with akki otti, puttu, or steamed rice.

Can you feel the sunshine? 🙂

Warm wishes for 2015!