Chana dal with okra and coconut

Ingredients

• 250g chana dal (split chickpeas)
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 4 dried red chillies
• 4 banana shallots, thinly sliced into rounds
• 400g okra, cut into 1cm pieces
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 100g fresh coconut, very finely chopped

Method

Step 1: Put the chana dal in a deep pan with 1 tsp of the salt, the turmeric and 1 litre boiled water. Cover with a lid and cook over a low-medium heat for 45-50 minutes until the chana dal is soft and all the water has been absorbed. Set aside.

Step 2: Heat the ghee in a separate large saucepan over a low-medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and dried red chillies. Cook for a few seconds until they begin to sizzle. Stir in the shallots and cook for 2 minutes until they begin to soften.

Step 3: Increase the heat under the saucepan to medium, mix in the okra and cook for about 5 minutes until it begins to turn slimy (don’t worry, the sliminess will disappear during cooking). Stir in the remaining ½ tsp salt, the spices and coconut, then turn the heat to low, cover the pan with a lid and cook for 15-20 minutes until the okra has softened.

Step 4: Add the cooked chana dal to the okra, mixing well, then serve.