I've made something like this before but I don't have any set recipe for it, I think I just made it up on the fly as another experimental dish!

I would approach it in the same way as any other BIR style dish, but you'll probably have to experiment with it until you get it right to your taste and/or what you or your friend can remember it tasting like in a restaurant.

I would cook the lentils as you've described but I'd probably also part precook the potatoes in turmeric and a little salt too.

Then you can assemble the dish as you would any other BIR style dish. Heat the oil, pinch of asafoetida, fry for 10 seconds or so, tsp of g/g paste, fry till golden, fry spices, probably mix powder, chilli powder, salt, pinch or so of Garam, ladle of base reduced, perhaps another ladle of base, pinch of fenugreek leaves, perhaps a tsp of tamarind concentrate if you have any, in go potatoes, reduce mixture to coat, perhaps some chopped green chilli's and mix in your lentils. Simmer till potatoes are done, add chopped coriander.

You could make it more complex by adding a tempering to your lentils before you add them. In a tablespoon of oil, fry some coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, couple of whole red chilli's and when fragrant, set aside to cool. Empty into a pestle and mortar and grind to a paste, add and stir this into your lentils before adding to your main dish.

Experiment and have fun!

I would use the widely available tins of chick peas rather than faff around with the raw pulse.  The method is pretty much how many of the side dishes are prepared with the normal suspects as Spiceyokooko has mentioned.  As for the aloo part, why not pre-cook using the CBM method which i have already mentioned to you.

Here's how the Viceroy Brasserie cook theirs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=finEvrxoigE

Quote from: chonk on April 01, 2013, 09:04 PMChole should contain some sour notes, so you could use amchoor, tamarind, lime juice or even a pinch of Chaat masala.

I agree, it needs a souring agent somewhere in there, I like tamarind but as you say any of the others would work equally well.

Good advice Chonk

Quote from: DalPuri on April 01, 2013, 09:15 PM

Quote from: chonk on April 01, 2013, 09:04 PM
Hi goncalo!

Don't know about the BIR chef, but I cook dals almost daily for myself. Authentic Chole should contain some sour notes, so you could use amchoor, tamarind, lime juice or even a pinch of Chaat masala.
Greetings!

Agreed! I used to buy Dal (split yellow) a lot from Deans in South Wimbledon, and the Tamarind was obvious in that. I loved it with a stack of chapatis.  ;D
It was the only place i knew that was guaranteed to be thick. Cant stand runny dal.
Spent many nights eating that and playing carrom.  ;D

The Channa was good too! Trying to think back for a thought taste and there was a more noticable garlic tarka in the chickpeas than the dal. And methi too.

Not sure whether you mean chick peas or split gram Goncalo, I assume the latter?

Cheers, Frank. 

Thanks, they are split-gram. I started the wrong way around by buying a bag of channa dall from heera without researching first, i.e:

Thanks for the excellent tips so far. What exact reason would you advice me to go for a tin of chickpeas instead of soaking these ones?

soak for 8 hours or overnight - you will have great results.
As mentioned by spiceyokooko to cook a dish - you will not go too far wrong


best, Rich