Weigh the lentils, place in a sieve and wash thoroughly under the cold tap. Place in a large saucepan with the water (1 litre per 200g lentils), and set over a high heat. Bring to the boil.
While the lentils are heating, slice the ginger into large but thin slices, keeping the skin on. Reserve a knob for the cabbage. Also peel the garlic and bruise it slightly by pressing down on it with the side of your knife.
When the lentils are boiling, skim the surface with a spoon to remove the impurities - these will appear as a thick foam on the top. Remove this thoroughly, and discard.
Add the garlic, ginger and turmeric to the lentils, and turn the heat down to low. Cover with a lid, leaving a small crack for some steam to escape. The total cook time is about 1h 30 minutes, but for the first hour or so you can leave the lentils to simmer, stirring occasionally, while you prep the cabbage.
For the cabbage dish, first peel & grate the rest of the ginger. See our ginger Tip. Peel the tomatoes by slashing with a knife and soaking in boiling water. See our tomato Tip. Chop them roughly, removing the stem bed and any tough white core, but do not deseed. Remove the stem from the cabbage, then cut the cabbage in half. Remove the outer leaves, and cut out the core. Shred across each half to create medium strips of cabbage. Be careful as white cabbage can be hard, and your knife can slip.
To cook the cabbage, first place some vegetable oil in a small saucepan or high sided frying pan and set over a medium heat. Add the grated ginger, and fry a little in the hot oil. Add the chopped tomatoes and tamarind paste, to taste, and season with salt. Put a lid on and turn down to a simmer to stew the tomatoes, about 10 minutes, until you have a rich but still juicy sauce.
Heat some more vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan, and add the chillies. Fry briefly, then add the onion. Cook until just beginning to soften - you want them to keep some bite - a few minutes.
Now add the cabbage and stir fry until just tender - you want it to retain some crispness, test a piece by biting into. When the tomatoes have reduced, add to the cabbage. Stir well to combine. If prepping ahead, remove from the heat and allow to cool fully before covering. If serving immediately, fry for a few more minutes so everything is well combined and warmed through.
About 40 minutes before you are due to serve, stir the lentils well and check their consistency - they may still be quite thin. Stir frequently for the next half hour to prevent sticking, and adjust the heat and lid to get the consistency you like - we like them quite thick and creamy, so we mostly cooked with the lid off or part off for the final half hour.
When the lentils are done, remove the ginger and any obvious large pieces of garlic (there may not be any) and season with salt.
Measure out your spices keeping any whole spices separate from ground ones. If using asafoetida, you only need a small pinch, so use straight from the jar. Add two to three tablespoons of vegetable oil to a small frying pan.
You can now make your spice mix, or tarka. Heat the oil, then add a pinch of asafoetida (if using), and a few seconds later add the cumin or other whole spices. Next add the ground coriander and cayenne, or other ground spices. Fry until the spice smells rise - seconds rather than minutes.
Add the spice mix, including the oil, to the lentils and stir well to combine. Take care when stirring the lentils as they can spit and scald!
When you are ready to serve, reheat the cabbage and stir the fresh coriander through the lentils. Your dal is ready!
Serve the dal with the cabbage on the side, This makes a healthy, satisfying meal alone, or you can add some rice or Indian bread.
Enjoy!
