Thursday 25 December 2014

Masoor Dal Recipe (Lentils)

Dal is such a common dish in every Indian household. There are many different types of Dal. It is simple, easy to make and a good source of protein. Even though it's simple, it's somehow very satisfying. For my mum, this dish used to be a quick way of getting dinner prepared after a long day at work. Dal, rice and fried fish reminds me of my mum.

So, in this recipe I have used Masoor Dal. Below is what you need -

About a full cup of Brown/Black Masoor Lentils (Dal) (wash this repeatedly until the water runs clear)
2 medium sized Onions chopped
1 medium sized Tomato chopped
1 green Chilli chopped or slit lengthwise (optional)
5-6 cloves of Garlic (chopped)
1 inch piece of Ginger (chopped fine)
Half tsp of red Chilli powder
Half tsp of Turmeric (Haldi) powder
1 tsp of Coriander powder (Dhaniya) (optional)
Fresh Coriander leaves for garnishing

For the Tadka you will require -

1 tsp Ghee and 1 tbsp of oil (clarified butter available at most supermarkets)
1 tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1 tsp Mustard seeds (Rai/Sarson)
3-4 green curry leaves (Kadi Patta)
2-3 dried red chilli (optional)
Pinch of Asfoetida (Hing) (this is good for the tummy and prevents bloating)

Tadka is a method of tempering whole spices in hot oil and then adding them to the Dal to intensify its flavours. There is no hard and fast rule to Tadka. You can also add cloves of Garlic or bits of Ginger if you like. Since I add Ginger and Garlic to the Dal itself I avoid it in the Tadka process.

Take a big deep vessel (I prefer to use a pressure cooker to save time). Pour a little oil in it and let it heat up. Then add the chopped Ginger/Garlic, give it a stir and immediately add the chopped onions, and green chilli. Let the onions fry for a bit and then add the Red Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and Coriander powder. Give it a good stir and then add the chopped tomatoe. Let it all fry for about 5 minutes. Now add the Masoor Dal along with 3 cups of water. Close the lid and let it simmer until the Dal  is soft or almost mushy. If you are using a pressure cooker like I do, then wait for about 5 whistles and then switch the gas off. Let all the steam escape from the pressure cooker and only then open the lid. The Dal should not be too thick and nor should it be too watery. If it is too thick add some more water and if it is too watery then let it simmer some more.

Add the green curry leaves and the dried red chillis (break them into half) on top of the Dal and in the centre of the vessel/pressure cooker. When we do the Tadka we will pour the Tadka right on top of it so that the hot oil automatically releases its flavours. You can also add the curry leaves and red chillis into the Tadka pan but this is just a different way of doing it.

Now for the Tadka. Take a frying pan and add a tsp of Ghee in it and a tbsp of oil. Let it heat up on high flame. Now add the Mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Then add the Cumin seeds and a pinch of Asfoetida. Give it a good stir and pour it in the centre of the vessel and right on top of the curry leaves and red chillis. Give the Dal a mix and garnish it with the Coriander leaves.

Serve with a bowl of steamed Rice :)

MERRY XMAS!