Dhal.Dholl.Daal? Which ever way you spell it, you can’t deny dhal and rice is the one dish every South African Indian has grown up eating on a Friday. Since the husbo and I are rarely at home during lunch time in the week, I usually make this during the weekend. I have taken it to work for lunch a few times and it illicites a lot of ooh’s and aah’s, which is ironic due to its simplicity. It’s also a bit awks when you’re unpacking a cornucopia of containers with your dhal, aloo and kachumber packed seperately coz what’s dhal chawal without the sides?

Nanima’s Dhal and Rice

• 3/4 cup oil dhal
• 2Tb masoor
• 1Tb chana dhal
• Soak above overnight or before cooking for a few hours, drain soaked water. Add salt, haldi and boil with fresh water.
• 1/2 chicken mixed pieces or 2 x chicken breasts
• 1 tsp Ginger/garlic paste
• 1tsp Red chillies
• 1tsp each Dhana/jeera
• 1/4 tsp Haldi
• Salt TT
• 1 tomato, grated.

Method:

1. Fry 1 small onion in oil, add marinated chicken and cook.
2. Add 1 small tomato to chicken.
3. Use beater to break up boiled dhal or blend.
4. Add to cooked chicken.
5. Make vagaar with ½ sliced onion, a few curry leaves, whole jeera and fresh green chilli. Put 1tsp of garlic or 1 fresh garlic clove with onion and fry.
6. Add to dhal
7. Lastly, add chopped mint and dhania before serving with steamed rice.

Aloo:

• Potatos
• Red chilli, haldi, salt, oil
• Cut into chip shapes and cover in spice mixture. Put in oven to cook until crisp or shallow fry potato until done.

Kachumber:

• Cucumber, tomato, onion, chilli, coriander cut into blocks with a squeeze of fresh lemon or vinegar. drizzled over.

Tips:

Omit the chicken if you’re going vegetarian. Freeze half the dhal if you’re cooking for two people as it makes plenty.