eMUNG BEAN DALe WITH LEMON

Half the point of this is the little crisp chips of fried garlic poured over it just before you eat it; otherwise it is fairly spicy and perceptibly hot, without being fiery.

Mung beans are tiny- hardly bigger than lentils - and, when raw, a particularly fresh, attractive shade of olive green, which unfortunately they lose when cooked. Like lentils they do not need soaking overnight; unlike lentils, however, they take a long time to cook (1 1/2 hours). They are not always sold in supermarkets but can be bought at almost any health-food shop.

As distinct from cooking time, preparation ofthe dal is quick and easy. Personally I like it Simply with hot, crusty bread, but you can add plain grilled mushrooms or tomatoes or serve it with rice. For 3-4.

8 oz/250 g (2 medium) onions

% inch/2 cm piece cinnamon stick

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

12 oz/375 g mung beans

2 fresh or dried red chillies

3 tablespoons oil

3 teaspoons Jill Norman's Garam Masala (see page 64)

% teaspoon salt

Juice 1 small lemon

Handful parsley (enough for 2 tablespoons when chopped)

6 cloves garlic

Wok or large saucepan with a lid

• METHOD .

Peel and finely chop the onions. Crush the cinnamon and cumin. Rinse the beans. Wash and dry the chillies; cut off the stalk end, slit lengthways and discard the seeds; dice as finely as possible. Especiallywith green chillies, do not rub your eyes when handling them and wash your hands directly afterwards (or wear polythene ·gloves).

2 Put 1 tablespoon of the oil into the wok or large saucepan and fry the onions over low heat, stirring often, for 8-10 minutes or until soft but not brown. Add the chillies and turn in the oil. Add the cumin and cinnamon and continue to fry, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes. Add just over 2 pints/l litre water and the beans. Bring to the boil and boil fast for 5 minutes; reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and simmer foranother 35 minutes. Add the salt and lemon juice. Simmer for 10-15 minutes more or until the beansare very soft. Ifthere is much free liquid in the pan, raise the heat and boil, uncovered, until reduced.

3 Wash, blot dry and finely chop the parsley. Peel and finely slice or chop the garlic. Put the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil into a frying-pan or saucepan and fry the garlic in it over moderate heat until gold rather than brown: it is important not to let it colourtoo much because itwill go on cooking in the hot oil forsome seconds offthe heat. Serve the dal and add a thick sprinkling of parsley and some of the garlic and oil to each portion.