Bengal Red Lentil Dal for 50
I. Preheat oven to 375 and combine in a steamer pan:
9 cups red lentils
(use skinless “footballs”, or split for faster cooking)
36 green chilies
(like jalapeño)
3 tsp turmeric
18 boiling cups
water
3 TBS salt
Cover and bake at 375 until water is absorbed, about 30-45 minutes. (If
using unskinned brown lentils, increase water by 30% and cook much longer).
II. While lentils are cooking, combine
6 cups minced onions
1.5 cups light oil
or ghee
Cover and bake alongside the lentils for 20 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning. When onions are soft and beginning to brown
add
6 TBS minced
ginger
Cover, and bake for 10 minutes longer.
Then add
6 cups Rotel (or
diced tomatoes)
Cover and bake stirring occasionally until tomato is soft and oil
begins to separate.
III. Combine cooked lentils and onion-tomato mixture and stir
well. Then bake for 20 minutes or so
longer.
IV. Right before serving, make
the Tadka. In a thick bottomed fry pan
.75 cup of ghee (or
light oil)
6 TBS panch phoron
mix [wiki] (aka Bengal
5 spice mix)
Fry spices until beginning to brown, then turn off heat and add
4 T thin sliced
garlic
24 bay leaves
24 red chili pods
Right before serving pour the Tadka over the Dal and give it a swirl.
