Dalcha is a tangy, rich curry made by the people of Hyderabad. Usually it is prepared with lamb, my vegan version uses spicy, mace-laced boiled tempeh. Tempeh is great here because it breaks down a bit with the dal and makes the curry extra creamy.
Seasoned Tempeh
8-12oz tempeh
2x red chilies
1 t ground mace
1 T olive oil
1/3 C tamari
1 cinnamon stick
1 whole peeled garlic clove
Boil the tempeh and above-listed ingredients in a medium sized pot, strain, remove cinnamon stick, garlic and chilies. Season tempeh with cayenne (optional) and set aside.
Dalcha
1 C chana dal
1 C toor dal
1 t turmeric
3x green chilies, chopped
2 T chopped cilantro
Wash the dal (soak the chana for an hour or two beforehand if possible) and combine with the turmeric, chilies, cilantro and 8 C water and bring to a boil in a large pot, simmer for about an hour and a half. When the dal is soft, liquefy with an immersion blender until thick and creamy. While the dal is cooking, in another large, nonstick pot, prepare the vegetables.
3 T cold pressed canola oil
1 large onion
1 T cumin seed
1 T coriander seed
pinch of hing
3 green chilies, chopped
1 T tamarind paste
2 T cilantro, chopped
6 cloves
6 green cardamom pods
1 t garam masala
2 t ground cayenne
3 t ginger-garlic paste (see note)
3 medium tomatoes coursely chopped
Heat the oil, hing and seeds and add onions when seeds begin to sizzle. Saute the onions for 5-7 minutes before adding the chilies, cilantro, cloves, cardamom, garam masala, cayenne and ginger-garlic paste. Cook for 2-3 minutes then add tomatoes and tamarind. Cook for 5 minutes then add the reserved seasoned tempeh. Stir well and simmer for 1 minute. Next, add the onion/tomato/tempeh mixture to the dalcha and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, garnish with fresh chopped cilantro and serve with plenty of rice. This is great with a nice biryani.
*Note: Ginger garlic paste is a versatile mixture which imparts a great, tangy flavor and will keep for up to 5 days. To make, simply puree 4 peeled garlic cloves together with 1 2″ piece of peeled ginger, adding water as needed.*