Omani-spiced red lentils or Marak dal

Omani cuisine is complex, diverse, and wonderful. Historically, Oman played a critical role in the spice trade from Zanzibar to India; everything from gold, tusks, silk, and spices moved through this route. It was a powerful empire that made its wealth as seafarers. Today, the kingdom is smaller, but its diversity is maintained by Asian immigrant labour. I like and seek out new ingredients, flavours, cuisines, cooking techniques, and everything culinary—yes, even cookbooks. A few years ago, I read about Omani lemons and became curious, so on my next trip to the Mediterranean store, I picked up some, having no idea what to do with them. They sat around until I found a recipe that led me to buy this fantastic cookbook. These amazing dried limes (often called lemons, limu, or black limes) have a wonderful, distinct, tart flavour that is subtle and inviting. The flavour permeates the food and is a combination of aroma and flavour. More on this ingredient here. They are available at any Mediterranean grocery store or on Amazon. This dal is fantastic. It is rich in flavour from Indian and Middle Eastern spices, with the permeating tartness from the Omani lemons. I was curious how the potatoes contributed to the dish, but they added a dense texture and creaminess. This dal should be your go-to dal for entertainment! Do not let the long list of ingredients dishearten you from making it; it is quite simple. I love this dal with rice, but it is just as good with naan or other breads. Makes a large serving for 8-10 people

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

2 cups red lentils, masoor dal

3 cups water

1/2 large red onion, finely minced

2 tablespoons garlic paste

1/2 tablespoon ginger paste

3 tomatoes, finely minced

1 chilli, minced, or to taste

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon pepper

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons ghee or oil of choice

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 1/2 large red onion, finely diced

2 tablespoons garlic paste 1 large or 2 small potatoes, peeled and chunked

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3-4 dried Omani limes, cut and the dark inside flesh removed

Fresh cilantro, minced

Lime wedges

In a pot, pressure cooker or Insta-pot, mix all the first set of ingredients from the red lentils to the salt. Cook till the lentils fall apart, about 30 minutes in my Insta-pot. Set aside.

Add the ghee/oil in a second pot and cook the onions for about 5 minutes until soft. Add the potatoes, cumin seeds and garlic and continue to sauté till the onions turn golden, about 10 additional minutes. Add the tomato paste, mix well to coat the potatoes, and sauté for another minute. It is okay if the potatoes are raw.

Add the cooked lentils and the flesh from the Omani lemons and simmer for 15 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt and the flavour of Omani lemon. You can change the consistency of the dal to suit your preference. However, this is traditionally a thicker dal. Serve topped with fresh cilantro and lime wedges.