This recipe comes from the long-awaited collection of vibrant, fragrant and flavourful Afghan recipes that have made beloved Adelaide restaurant Parwana one of the country’s most exciting dining destinations.
Parwana: Recipes and stories from an Afghan kitchen is not just full of dishes from the eatery – it’s peppered with stories detailing the political and cultural history of Afghanistan through the centuries written by Durkhanai Ayubi. She fled the country in the 1980s with her family and eventually found a new home in Adelaide, where they opened Parwana in 2009 (and Kutchi Deli in 2014). The food is led by her mum Farida, and the book’s recipes are her creations.
“Common throughout Afghanistan and across the subcontinent, dal is an easy dish to vary – be it in the type of lentils, the spices or the amount of chilli used,” says Durkhanai. “We serve dal at Parwana, and this recipe uses red split lentils for a soft and creamy texture, perfect to eat alongside challaw or a palaw rice dish, or simply with some naan flatbread.”
Serve it alongside Parwana's signature braised eggplant to really impress.
The dish calls for chaar masalah, a blend of spices to be made ahead of time, which can be used as a flavour base for many different dishes. “The choice and proportion of spices in the blend has been fine-tuned over the years to create a delicate balance of warmth, flavour and fragrance,” says Durkhanai.
Parwana's Dal (Lentil Curry)
Serves 4
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
410 g (2 cups) red split lentils
125 ml (½ cup) sunflower oil
2 brown onions, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 fresh long red chilli, thinly sliced
4 large tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon chaar masalah
4 cinnamon sticks
8 dried bay leaves
7 brown cardamom pods
1½ tablespoons green cardamom pods
1½ tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 teaspoons cloves
Chopped fresh coriander and whole curry leaves, to serve
Method
To make the chaar masalah, dry-roast all the ingredients in a non-stick frying pan over low heat for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Keep a close eye on them and shake the pan frequenbtly so they don't burn. Set aside to cool completely. Once cooled transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, and grind to a fine powder. Store in a tightly sealed jar.
Add the lentils and 1.5 litres (6 cups) water to a saucepan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the lentils are softened. Drain in a colander, discarding the water, and set aside in the saucepan.
In a separate saucepan, heat the oil over high heat and fry the onions for 5 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Add the garlic and chilli and fry for a further 2 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Add the tomato and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2–3 minutes, or until softened. Stir in the spices and 1 tablespoon salt and cook for a further 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Add the lentils and 1 litre (4 cups) water to the pan and bring to the boil. Cook for 5–8 minutes, or until the dal has thickened and absorbed all the flavours in the sauce. To serve, ladle the dal into a serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander and curry leaves.
Parwana: Recipes and Stories from an Afghan Kitchen by Durkhanai Ayubi and recipes by Farida Ayubi is out now through Murdoch Books. Photography by Alicia Taylor. $45.00.
