From a simple vegetarian meal to a traditional Bengali dish

Ingredients

• 250 g of mung beans
• 2 tablespoons of oil paint made from mustard
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar
• ½ cup of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• ½ cup of finely chopped cilantro
• 1 dried chili pepper
• 1 tablespoon of garam masala
• 2 to 4 green chili peppers
• 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
• 1 chopped tomato
• 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee
• One bay leaf
• 2 small pieces of cinnamon
• 2 cardamom pods
• 2 cloves of cloves
• ½ cup of cumin seeds
• 2 tablespoons of fresh, shredded coconut
• 7 to 8 cashew nuts
• 7 to 8 grapes

Heat the dry mung dal in a pan over medium heat, without any oil, until it is lightly browned. Rinse thoroughly, then cook according to package directions. When almost cooked, add the salt and continue cooking until tender.

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds, dried chili flakes, bay leaf, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and coconut, and sauté briefly.

Add the ginger, tomato, ground cumin, ground cilantro, and green chili peppers, one tablespoon at a time, along with two tablespoons of water. Stir in the spices, then add the cooked dal.

Add some cashews, raisins, shredded coconut, and sugar, and bring to a boil. Before removing from the heat, add the ghee and garam masala.

Serve the dal hot.