Beef is one of the most popular and rich dishes in the Bengali kitchen. But if you want a change from the familiar everyday taste, you can add kalai dal. This traditional rural lentil adds not only nutrition but also depth of flavour.

The dark, earthy-scented kalai dal combined with beef creates a unique taste that will have you wanting it again and again. This simple way to make an ordinary dish special is finding a place in many kitchens these days. Here is how kalai dal lifts the taste of beef.

First clean the pieces of beef head meat well and boil them for 5 minutes with a little turmeric powder, then wash them once more. Heat oil in a pan and fry onions until brown. Add a little water with all the ground and powdered spices, along with cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, a few peppercorns and slit green chillies, and fry.

When the spices are well fried, add the head meat and the kalai dal and cook down for about five minutes. Now add 2 cups of hot water, cover and cook over medium heat. After 15 minutes, lift the lid and stir, adding water as needed, then cover again. When the meat is cooked, add garam masala powder and take it off the heat after a few minutes. Your beef with kalai dal is ready.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.