Many people grow tired of eating the same kind of dal every day. For a change of taste, you can make a delicious dal with kochur mukhi, or taro corms. This traditional and tasty dish from rural Bengal needs few ingredients and can be cooked without fuss. Kochur mukhi dal goes very well with hot rice.

Here is how to cook it.

First wash the lentils well and boil them with a little water, a pinch of turmeric and salt.

Wash the taro corms well, peel them and cut them into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan, lightly fry the corms with a little salt and turmeric, and set them aside. Frying them first reduces the chance of the corms making your throat itch.

In the same oil, fry chopped onion, chopped garlic, whole cumin and bay leaves until golden. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and ginger paste, sprinkle in a little water and cook the spices down well.

When the spices are done, add the fried taro corms and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Then add the boiled lentils, stir and add water as needed.

When the liquid comes to the boil, add slit green chillies. Cover and cook on a medium flame until the corms are well cooked and soft and blend with the lentils into a thick gravy.

Finally, turn off the heat and serve the kochur mukhi dal with piping hot rice.

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