Sev usal

Step 1: Drain 7 oz dried white peas (safed vatana), put them in a pressure cooker with 3 ¾ cups water, ½ tsp ground turmeric and half the ¾ tsp salt, and cook on a medium heat for 5 whistles, about 20 minutes. Let the pressure drop by itself. The peas should be soft enough to crush between your fingers but still whole. No cooker? Simmer them covered for about 1¼ hours, topping up the water.

Step 2: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil in a deep pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp black mustard seeds; when the seeds start to pop, add 1 tsp cumin seeds, ¼ tsp asafoetida and 10 curry leaves and let them crackle for a few seconds.

Step 3: Add 1 large onion and fry, stirring often, for 6–8 minutes until soft and golden at the edges. Stir in 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste and 2 green chillies and cook for 1 minute until the raw smell has gone.

Step 4: Add 2 tomatoes, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 2 tsp ground coriander and the rest of the ¾ tsp salt. Cook for 6–7 minutes, mashing with the spoon, until the tomatoes have melted and oil glistens at the edge of the masala.

Step 5: Tip in the peas with all their cooking water. Mash a ladleful of peas against the side of the pan to give the gravy a little body, then add 1 tsp garam masala and 1 tsp jaggery. Simmer uncovered on a low heat for 12–15 minutes. It should stay thin and soupy; add hot water if it thickens. Common mistake: boiling it down to a thick curry. Sev usal needs a pourable gravy or the sev turns to paste.

Step 6: For the tari, heat 4 tbsp sunflower or groundnut oil in a small pan over a low heat, take it off the heat and stir in 1 tbsp hot red chilli powder. Straight away pour in ¾ cup hot water (stand back, it spits), add a ladle of the usal gravy and simmer for 3 minutes until a layer of red oil floats on top.

Step 7: To serve, ladle the usal into bowls, spoon over tari to taste, then pile on 3 ½ oz fine nylon sev, 1 red onion and ½ oz fresh coriander. Squeeze over 1 lemon and eat at once with warm 8 soft pav rolls, toasted on a buttered or oiled griddle if you like.