Or you could simmer it longer so it’s thick enough to serve with rotis.
I Didn’t Know How to Tell My Father I Loved Him.
I believed this too.
Photo: Natasha Amar
An 18-year-old college student at the time, I’d never learned how to cook.
Unlike my older sister, who was happily married by then, I simply wasn’t interested in it.
Our conversations barely went beyond him asking about how I was doing academically or me asking about his business.
Natasha Amar
At that point in our lives, we didn’t know each other well.
Instinctively, I decided it had to be sai bhaji.
Sometimes she’d assign me easy tasks like rinsing the spinach.
“ensure you wash it again and again to remove all the dirt,” she’d say.
That evening, I needed the cooking to be quick and simple.
I had never cooked an Indian main dish before.
I drew on my memories and followed the steps in what seemed like the most logical order.
The sai bhaji looked quite good, the consistency just right.
But I thought I’d venture to cook us a meal today."
What I was really saying is, “I love you, Papa.
We’ll get through this.”
Add chile, coriander, cumin and turmeric; stir until well combined.
Rinse and drain chana dal.
Add to the pressure cooker along with spinach, dill, salt and 2 cups water.
Close and lock the lid.
Cook on High pressure for 10 minutes.
Add the remaining 1 cup water.
Simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
To make ahead
Soak chana dal 4 to 8 hours ahead.
Refrigerate sai bhaji for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Equipment
6-qt.
Look for it at Asian markets, in the international aisle at well-stocked supermarkets or online.
Or it’s possible for you to make your own by grating equal parts ginger and garlic.
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient.
