Title: Kali Dal
Categories: Ethnic Vegetarian
Yield: 8 Servings

1	c	Black whole gram beans
2	tb	Red kidney beans
1	c	Chopped onions
2	tb	Chopped ginger
3/4	c	Chopped tomatoes
1	c	Water
1/2	ts	Ground cardamom
1	tb	Ground coriander
1/2	ts	Red pepper
2	ts	Salt
6	tb	Ghee
4	tb	Ghee
1 1/2	ts	Cumin seeds
1	c	Minced onions
1/4	c	Coriander leaves, chopped

Wash the gram beans. Place both the grma beans & kidney beans in a large pot. Add 4 cups of water & bring to a boil. Turn off heat & let sit for 2 hours. Add the onions, ginger, tomatoes, 1 cup water, cardamom, coriander, pepper, salt & 6 tb ghee. Mix well, bring to a boil & simmer for 4 1/2 to 5 hours. Keep the heat very low so that you maintain a bare simmer during the cooking period.

After cooking, remove 2 to 3 cups of the beans & blend them till smooth. Return to the pot. Keep the dal on a low simmer.

Heat ghee & add the cumin seeds when ghee is very hot. After 10 seconds, add the minced onion & cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over the dal & mix in the coriander. Simmer till heated through.

Serve with Royal Vegetable & Rice Casserole.

Julie Sahni, "Classic Indian Cooking"

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