This is a very clever chutney. It’s essentially a powder which you bring to life by adding it to equal parts oil, then mixing it all up. It’s got a deeply savoury toasted chickpea flavour and is hot without being ear-tinglingly so. It’s usually eaten with dosas or mixed in with rice. I like to sprinkle the powder over green beans, or drizzle the chutney over hot pillowy naan bread.
Ingredients
- 150 g roasted chana dal (daria dal)
- 2 teaspoons rapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida
- 3 teaspoons chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
How to Make It
- Put a frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, tip in the dal and swirl it around for 3 minutes, then remove to a bowl. Put the oil into the frying pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add the cumin seeds. Stir-fry for a minute or two until brown, then add the asafoetida, chilli powder and salt. Stir to mix, then take off the heat.
- Put the roasted chickpea dal and the cumin mix into a blender and whizz to a powder. You might need to push the mixture down the sides more than a couple of times until it’s all powdered. Leave to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. It will last for around 6 months when stored in a cupboard.