This comforting bowl pairs tender, broken-down toor dal with chewy macaroni for a brilliant double-carb combo. A vibrant temper of popping mustard seeds, fragrant curry leaves, and tangy tamarind cuts through the richness, creating a wonderfully balanced, soupy dish that feels both nourishing and exciting.
Prep:less than 30 mins
Cook:30 mins to 1 hour
Serves:Serves 4
Dietary:Dairy-free, Egg-free, Vegan, Vegetarian
By Ravinder BhogalFrom Saturday Kitchen Recipes
This recipe earns a Nutri-Score of B because it is packed with plant-based protein from the lentils and peanuts. While the jaggery and macaroni add some sugars and carbohydrates, the dish remains low in saturated fat and completely dairy-free, making it a highly nutritious and balanced vegan meal.
Equipment
Ingredients
For the sweet and sour dal and macaroni
- 200g/7oz toor dal, thoroughly washed
- 1 long red chilli, thickly sliced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 75g/2½oz unsalted peanuts, plus 50g/1¾oz to serve
- 200g/7oz macaroni
- Salt
- ½ red onion, finely chopped, to serve
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander, to serve
For the temper
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 heaped tsp black mustard seeds
- Pinch asafoetida
- 20 fresh curry leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 2 cloves
- 10g/1/3oz ginger, finely grated
- 2 large garlic cloves, finely grated
- 1 dried Kashmiri chilli, broken
- 2 green chillies, very finely chopped
- 10g/1/3oz tomato purée
- 100g/3½oz passata
- 25g/1oz tamarind paste (Thai variety)
- 30g/1oz grated jaggery or soft brown sugar
- 1 lime, juice only
- Sea salt
Customise
- Swap toor dal for red lentils or yellow split peas if you need a quicker cooking time.
- Replace macaroni with shell pasta or broken spaghetti for a similarly satisfying texture.
- Use date syrup or palm sugar instead of jaggery to maintain the rich, caramelised sweetness.
- Swap peanuts for roasted cashews or almonds if you prefer a different crunch.
Method
Cook the Dal and Macaroni (25–30 minutes, activities can overlap)
- Combine the toor dal, sliced red chilli, turmeric, and 75g of peanuts in a large pot with 2.5 litres of water. Bring it to a rolling boil, then reduce the heat slightly and cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils are completely soft and broken down. Keep a close eye on the pot and stir occasionally, adding a splash more water if it starts to look too dry.
- Boil the macaroni in a separate pan of salted water according to the packet instructions. Once cooked perfectly al dente, drain it well and set it aside while you finish the dal.
Build the Sweet and Sour Temper (10 minutes)
- Heat the coconut oil in a separate pan over a medium heat and toss in the black mustard seeds. Wait for them to start popping, then immediately add the asafoetida and fresh curry leaves, letting them crackle and release their wonderful aromas.
- Drop in the cumin seeds, broken cinnamon stick, and cloves, frying them briefly for just a few seconds before adding the grated ginger, garlic, and both dried and green chillies. Cook this mixture until it smells incredibly fragrant and the garlic has softened.
- Stir in the tomato purée and cook for a minute or two until it darkens slightly and releases its oil. Pour in the passata, tamarind paste, and jaggery, then let everything come to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes to allow those sweet and sour flavours to meld together beautifully.
Combine and Serve (5 minutes)
- Pour the vibrant temper straight into your cooked dal, along with an extra 1 litre of water to create a lovely soupy consistency. Bring the pot back to a boil, stirring well to combine all the spices.
- Tip the cooked macaroni into the bubbling dal and let it heat through gently for about 2 minutes so the pasta absorbs some of that incredible sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fresh lime juice, tasting to ensure the sweet and sour balance is just right. Season with sea salt as needed.
- Ladle the hot dal and macaroni generously into serving bowls and finish with a scattering of finely chopped red onion, fresh coriander, and the extra roasted peanuts for a satisfying crunch.