Cooking with Tom...

Today we have something slightly different for our daily blog post. As there is a chain of Watsapp messages for sharing recipe ideas during lockdown, we thought we would share a recipe from our cook Tom! Anyone who has attended the centre for weekend courses will be very familiar with this one, as it's a Sunday favourite...

Thomas’ Absolute BEST Yellow Split-Pea Dal

~For Four People

Set Ingredients

• 320 grams yellow split peas, or (gesture of pouring something into a pan three times)

• 2 large onions - lots of onion

• As many cloves of garlic as you like, but lots. Actually lets say 4, one clove each 

• One and a half teaspoons each of turmeric, cumin and coriander

• Salt ( again, a gesture)

Play by ear ingredients:

• Mustard seeds

• Optional tin of chopped tomatoes

• Fresh coriander- chopped

• Black pepper

• Chilli to taste ( 1 red chilli ) 

• A pinch of smelly plant resin - asafoetida

Method 1. Put yellow split peas in a pan and cover by a cm or 2 of water and add the turmeric. 2. Bring to the boil and skim off any froth that is on top 3. Let it simmer for one to one and quarter hours... or till they are done. 4. Time varies depending on how old your split peas are but you want them to be quite soft and falling apart, not firm. 5. While that is simmering away you chop your onions and you slice your garlic cloves thinly (little slivers) 6. Put all your onions in a pan and let them sweat. You basically want them to go all soft and squidgy and sweet. 7. Turn up the heat and start them browning - still a medium low heat. And let them get really nice and brown. 8. Then you clear a little space so you can put the garlic into the oil and fry those till brown as well 9. Then add your three spices: - Add mustard seed first. Stir around and let them cook for a few minutes. - Then add the other two. 10. Once the dal is nice and soft add your salt, but not before that. 11. Ditto tomatoes, to stop them softening. 12. Add anything else ( in the play it by ear ingredient list ). 13. Let it all simmer for 20 mins or so to let it all blend into gather, squeeze lemon juice first and then garnish with coriander .

Voila!