Sindhi Dal

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups yellow lentils (Tur dal), cleaned, washed and drained
• 4 tablespoons oil 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed 15 fresh curry leaves, washed and torn
• 3 inches fresh ginger, peeled, washed and finely chopped
• 2 pinches asafetida powder (commonly called 'hing' in Hindi)
• 2 medium green chilies, washed and chopped
• 2 medium fresh tomatoes, washed, peeled and chopped
• 2/3 cup tamarind pulp
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 2 teaspoons turmeric powder 4 teaspoons salt
• Water

Procedure

1. Pressure cook the lentils (toor dal) in a pressure cooker alongwith 6 cups of water until the lentils are tender.
2. Heat oil in a pot on medium-high flame.
3. Once its hot, add mustard seeds, methi seeds and cumin seeds. Allow to splutter and crackle. Once they stop doing so, add in the curry leaves and ginger. Stir-fry for 5 minutes until the raw smell of ginger is gone.
4. Add asafoetida powder and continue to stir-fry for another 5-7 minutes.
5. Toss in the green chillies, mix well and continue to stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Then add in the tomatoes and 1/4 cup of water to cook the tomatoes.
7. Mix well and cook on high flame until the tomatoes are softened.
8. Add salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well.
9. Measure out 2/3 cup of tamarind water in a cup and add this tamarind water to the tomato mixture. Mix well and allow it to cook on medium-high flame for 5 minutes.
10. In the meantime, open the pressure cooker (by this time the lentils will be tender and the whistle would have blown), drain the water, and with the help of a beater/mashing tool (we use what we call a'mandira' in Hindi. This is a long wooden spoon with a round base that we use for mashing lentils, bananas, etc), in round circular motions, mash the lentils completely, until they mix with the water in which they were being cooked.
11. Now add 5 cups of water alongwith the lentil and water mixture that was used to cook the lentils. Add the tamarind-tomato mixture, mixing gracefully, till it comes to a boil.
12. Lower flame and cook for 10 more minutes on a simmer. Remove from flame and serve immediately with cooked long-grain white Basmati rice.

The ultimate Dal recipe

The ultimate dal recipe...well almost :)

1 Cup Tur Dal
2 big sized onions
1 small capsicum (bell pepper) finely chopped.
3 big tomatoes
1 green chilli (capsicum)
5 cloves garlic
1 inch ginger
A few stalks of coriander (cilantro,dhania)

Dry powders
Amchur (dry mango powder) - 1 tsp
Dhania (coriander) powder - 1 tsp
Jeera (cumin) powder - 1 tsp
Haldi (turmeric) - 1 tsp
Red Chilli powder - to taste
Salt - to taste
Sugar - 1 tsp

3 tbsp oil


Preparing the dal:
Soak the dal for an hour in water. Boil in a pressure cooker till soft. Mash it well.

Preparing the masala:

Puree the tomatoes: Boil the tomatoes till their skins come off. Grind the tomatoes with chopped garlic and ginger in a blender to a soup consistency.

Cut the onions into cubes. Add the green chilli and blend the onions and chilli in a blender to a coarse paste.

Add 3 tbsp of oil in a wok (kadai). Add jeera seeds to the hot oil. When they stop spluttering, add the onion-chilli paste. Heat till the paste turns brown in color. Add the finely chopped capsicum, a little salt and heat on high flame with continuous stirring for around 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about five minutes. Add the dry powders (except for zeera), salt, and sugar.

Add the prepared masala to the mashed dal, add water to get the consistency you want. Heat the mixture on the stove. Add salt. Remove the container from the fire as soon as it starts boiling.

Roast the cumin (zeera) powder in a frying pan till it turns brown and add it to the dal.

Add a tablespoon of ghee or melted butter (optional)

Garnish with coriander leaves

Serve with rice or rotis.