Serves: 4
Total Calories: 410

1 1/4 cups dried white urad beans (dhulli urad dal), sorted and washed in 3 to 4 changes of water
3 1/2 to 4 cups water
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 small bunch fresh fenugreek leaves (about 1/4 pound)
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons peeled minced fresh ginger
1 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, minced with seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

1. Place the dal, 3 1/2 cups water, turmeric, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the dal, stirring occasionally but watching carefully that it doesn't boil over, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1/2 cup water, if needed, and simmer until each bean is soft but not broken and very little water remains in the pan, about 15 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, discard the hard and fibrous part of the fenugreek greens, pick out the leaves and the softest stems, and wash them well. Chop finely in the food processor or by hand.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium cast-iron or nonstick wok or a saucepan and cook the fenugreek greens over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping the sides of the wok, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the leaves are completely dry and deep green, 10 to 15 minutes. Mix lightly into the dal.

4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the ginger and green chili pepper and stir about 1 minute. Add the coriander, cumin, and paprika, stir a few seconds, then add the seasonings to the dal. Swirl lightly to mix, with parts of it visible as a garnish. Serve.

From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 410
Calories from Fat: 111

More Recipes from the 1000 Indian Recipes Cookbook:
* Dried Beans, Lentils, and Peas
Basic South Indian Soupy Split Pigeon Peas
Black Beans in Traditional Curry Sauce
Black Chickpeas with Chickpea Masala
Black Chickpeas with Sizzlilng Ginger and Cumin Seeds
Black Urad Beans in a Slow Cooker
Black-Eyed Peas in Yogurt Curry
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Chickpeas in Traditional Curry Sauce
Chickpeas with Ginger, Garlic, and Chaat Masala
Chickpeas with Spinach and Potato Wedges
Chutney Chickpeas with Tamarind
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Classic No-Onion Kidney Bean Curry
Crispy Split Pigeon Pea Cake
Curried Black-Eyed Peas
Dry-Cooked Green Split Peas
Dry-Cooked Red Lentils with Cumin Seeds
Falguni's Gujarati Split Pigeon Peas
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Garlicky Dried Green Peas Curry
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Kashmiri Small Red Beans
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Punjabi Red Beans with Mango Pickle Masala
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Yellow Mung Beans with Fresh Curry Leaves
Yellow Mung Beans with Sautéed Onion and Ginger
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