Hyderabadi khatti dal

Step 1: Put 7 oz toor dal in a pressure cooker or pan with 500 ml of the 2 cups water, 1 tomato, 1 small onion, 3 green chillies, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste. Pressure-cook for 4 whistles on a medium heat, or simmer covered in a pan for 35–40 minutes, until the dal is completely soft and falls apart.

Step 2: Mash the dal with a whisk or wooden masher until smooth and creamy, with the tomato and onion melted in.

Step 3: Add the rest of the 1 ¾ cups water, 1 ½ tbsp tamarind paste and 1 ½ tsp salt. Bring to the boil, then simmer on a low heat for 5–7 minutes, until the raw tamarind smell has gone and the dal is the thickness of a pouring soup. Common mistake: boiling the tamarind for only a minute; it tastes raw and sharp instead of rounded and tangy.

Step 4: For the bagaar, heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and ½ tsp black mustard seeds; when they crackle, add 6 garlic cloves and fry for about 1 minute until golden. Add 4 dried red chillies, 12 curry leaves and ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida; they will splutter loudly.

Step 5: Pour the hot bagaar straight onto the dal, cover for a minute to trap the aroma, then stir. Scatter 3 tbsp fresh coriander and serve with hot rice.