- ¾ cup yellow split peas
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 2 serrano chilies or 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- 3 medium tomatoes
- 2 Japanese eggplants or ½ globe eggplant
- 2 medium zucchini
- 2 medium carrots
- 4 tablespoons clarified butter
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- ½ small cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped, for garnish
- Sort through the peas, remove any chaff or small stones, and rinse them well; then cover them with water and leave them to soak at least 2 hours ahead of time so that the peas will not continue to absorb liquid and thicken the sauce once it is made. Pour off the soaking water, and add 3 cups fresh water and the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; then simmer until the peas are completely soft and have fallen apart, about 45 minutes. Cool slightly; then blend to make a smooth puree. Measure the amount of puree, and add water to bring it up to 3½ cups.
- While the peas are cooking, prepare the vegetables. Plunge the tomatoes into boiling water for a count of 10 seconds; then place them in a bowl of cold water. Remove the peels; then halve them and gently squeeze out the seeds. Cut them into large pieces. Cut the eggplant into 1-inch cubes, and cut the zucchini and the carrots into batons or sticks about 1½ inches long. Whatever shapes you make, keep them large enough so that after cooking they will have a clear, distinct appearance on the plate.
- When you are ready to cook the stew, have the dried spices ready on the stove, and a lid handy, in case the mustard seeds splatter and pop. Heat the clarified butter in a large wide skillet, and when it is hot, add the mustard seeds. Cook a brief 5 seconds or so, until the mustard seeds turn grayish and begin to explode; then add the cumin seeds, and after another 5 seconds the onion. Saute for one minute over high heat; then add the tomatoes and the eggplant. Cook 2 or 3 minutes before adding the cauliflower and the carrots. Stir everything together; then add the pureed yellow peas. Add the salt, stir, and cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Add the zucchini during the last 10 minutes, so that it will stay bright and somewhat firm.
- Taste again for salt, and add more if necessary. Serve the vegetables and dal garnished with the fresh cilantro.