Rebecca Seal's top three dal in London

Best for thalis

Ganapati

Tucked away in the back streets of Peckham, just a short walk from Rye Lane, Ganapati specialises in South Indian food, from delicately spiced street snacks to seasonal vegetable curries. But the best option is a thali: a platter of various curries, with pickles, poppadoms and a creamy lentil dal (from £10.50; dal as a side, £4).

Find it: 38 Holly Grove, SE15; ganapatirestaurant.com

Best for a fun night out

Dishoom

Continuing its expansion across London from Covent Garden to Shoreditch, the latest Dishoom is now open in King’s Cross. Based on the old Irani cafés in Bombay, Dishoom has a witty, unusual menu of curries and street food. The dal served here is cooked for 24 hours to make it really smooth and rich (£4.90).

Find it: 5 Stable Street, N1; dishoom.com

Best for Soho lunches

Imli Street

This is the smaller sister restaurant to Michelin-starred Tamarind, and being less formal and more focused on street food, it’s more affordable, too. It’s a good spot for a quick weekday lunch. Order something cooked in the tandoor oven (paneer or salmon), or smoked aubergine, and choose a yellow or black dal as a side (from £4).

Find it: 167-169 Wardour Street, W1; imlistreet.com