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Thakali kalo dal
कालो दाल (kalo dal): Thak Khola's smooth whole black-lentil dal tempered in ghee with jimbu and timur
Trekkers on the Annapurna circuit meet Thakali food in the guesthouses of Marpha, Tukuche and Jomsom, and the dal on the brass Thakali plate is the dish they remember: whole black lentils simmered until creamy in a heavy iron pot, then finished with ghee crackling with jimbu, a dried Himalayan herb that tastes like a cross between chives and garlic. A pinch of timur adds a tingling citrus note. It is thick, smoky and deeply savoury, eaten with rice or buckwheat dhido, gundruk pickle, potatoes and a fresh tomato achar, and refilled until the guest says stop. Skip the overnight soak and you will taste it, because the lentils never turn creamy. Chef's tip: once the lentils are soft, mash about a quarter of them against the side of the pot with the back of a ladle, which gives body without any cream.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dal
- 9 oz whole black urad lentilssoaked overnight, drained
- 5 ¾ cups water
- 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric
- 3 cm piece fresh gingergrated
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
For the jimbu tempering
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 ½ tsp dried jimbu
- 1 /2 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 cloves garlicsliced
- 1 dried red chillibroken
To serve
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put the drained 9 oz whole black urad lentils in a heavy pot with 5 ¾ cups water, 1 /2 tsp ground turmeric and 3 cm piece fresh ginger and bring to the boil over a high heat, skimming off the foam.
5 minStep 2: Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 45–50 minutes, stirring now and then and adding hot water if needed, until the lentils are completely soft and crush easily (or pressure-cook for 20 minutes).
50 minStep 3: Mash about a quarter of the lentils against the side of the pot, add 1 ¼ tsp salt and simmer for 5 minutes until thick and creamy.
5 minStep 4: Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a small pan over a medium heat and add 1 /2 tsp cumin seeds, 1 ½ tsp dried jimbu and 1 dried red chilli; fry for 20 seconds until the jimbu darkens slightly.
1 minStep 5: Add 3 cloves garlic and 1 /4 tsp timur (Nepali Sichuan pepper), crushed and fry for 30–40 seconds until the garlic is golden, then pour the sizzling ghee over the dal and cover for 1 minute.
1 minStep 6: Stir, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve hot with rice or dhido.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 12 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does thakali kalo dal take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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