This recipe takes about 5 hours from start to finish. Is it worth it? Most definitely.

Place 300g (black) ural daal, in a large pot, cover with cold water, stir, and drain. Repeat 2 – 3 times, till the water runs clear.

Cover the beans in plenty of water (at least 4 litres), bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 2 and a half – 3 hours till soft. Skim off any impurities, and top with more water as required. 

Turn off the heat and let the lentils rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, mix together 20g garlic paste and 20g ginger paste (you can find these ready-made in the freezer section of Asian supermarkets), 70g tomato purée, 10g salt, 1 tsp garam masala, a pinch of chilli powder, and 100g plant-based butter*

Drain the beans and add fresh water, enough to reach 3-4cm above the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a medium-high heat, and add the aromatic paste. Stir and cook rapidly for 30 minutes. Stir from time to time.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 and a half hour. Stir from time to time. Top with a bit of water if the bottom starts to stick. The mixture should become creamy.

Add 100ml plant-based cream* (I like the Elmlea brand as it is faba bean-based, and doesn’t have the aftertaste of soy, or the strong flavour of nut creams) and continue cooking for a further 15 minutes.

* Substitute with real butter and cream as desired.