Indian

Thali

Name: Thali
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 40 g toor dal (split pigeon peas); 50 g basmati rice; 40 g chapati flour (atta); 25 ml water; 80 g potato; 50 g green beans; 40 g onion; 60 g tomato; 1 green chilli; 1 tsp ginger; 1 clove garlic; 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 0.5 tsp ground coriander; 0.25 tsp red chilli powder; 0.25 tsp garam masala; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 0.25 tsp black mustard seeds; 1 pinch asafoetida; 1 dried red chilli; 5 curry leaves; 1.5 tsp ghee; 1 tsp sunflower oil; 60 g plain yogurt; 40 g cucumber; 0.25 tsp roasted cumin powder; 1 tsp mango pickle; 1 tbsp coriander leaves; 1 wedge lemon; salt

A homely Indian platter for one: soft tadka dal, a dry potato and bean sabzi, plain rice, fresh chapatis, cucumber raita, mango pickle and a wedge of lemon, all served together on one plate so you can eat a little of everything with each mouthful.

Lunch & dinner 25g+ protein 8g+ fibre

70 min25 prep · 45 cookMedium645 kcalper serving

Method

Rinse 40 g of toor dal in several changes of water until it runs clear, then soak in warm water for 20 minutes. Separately rinse 50 g of basmati rice until the water is no longer cloudy and leave it to soak in cold water for 20 minutes.
While they soak, make the chapati dough: mix 40 g of atta with a pinch of salt, add 25 ml of lukewarm water a little at a time and knead for 5 minutes to a soft, springy dough that does not stick. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 20 minutes.
Drain the dal into a small saucepan with 150 ml of water, 0.25 tsp of turmeric, 60 g of chopped tomato and a good pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, skim the froth, then simmer partly covered on low heat for 30 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft. Whisk with a spoon to a loose, pourable dal, adding a splash of hot water if it is too thick.
Drain the rice and drop it into a pan of well-salted boiling water. Boil uncovered for 10-12 minutes, until a grain is tender with no chalky centre, then drain and leave covered to steam dry.