Dal (My version)

Dal.....a simple and very tasty dish. Very easy to cook. Dal is very popular Indian dish. Right from north india to south india, dal is loved by all. Dal makhni, dal palak, normal dal, sambhar, paruppu, etc,etc, are the different versions of dal, that is prepared in different regions of India. Here I am going to share my version of dal, which can be cooked in no time.

To serve 4, you will require:-

Taur dal - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 3 cloves, chopped
Onion - 1 small, chopped
Tomato - 1 small, cubed
Green chillies - 3 nos, slit
Any 1 vegetable of your choice - 1 cup, cubed. (Ash gourd, pumpkin, brinjal, potato, carrots, beans, durmstick, etc...)
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp
Tumeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - to taste
Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized, soaked in 1 cup of water.
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - little, chopped
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - few
Oil - 3 tbsp


Method

Wash dal in water and pressure cook it with tumeric powder, chopped garlic and 1 tbsp of oil (adding oil to the dal reduces the cooking time), till done. To it add 3/4 of the chopped onion, tomato, green chilly and mix it well.

Now add chilli powder, coriander powder, half of asafoetida powder, salt and mix it well.

 

Now extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind and pour it inside the dal also add 1 cup of water and mix it all well. Then add chopped green coriander leaves and mix well.

It's time to throw in the vegetable of your choice. I normally use only one kind of vegetable, adding too many vegetables make dal very very pulpy. I used drumstick for this recipe. (Normally northindians don't add vegetables to their dal, but southindians put lots and lots of vegetables)

Now close the pressure cooker and cook it under medium high flame for 4 whistles (which will hardly take 10 minutes).

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a kadai add mustard and cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add remaining asafoetida powder, curry leaves and remaining chopped onions and fry till onions turn golden and crispy. Pour the tadka over the dal and mix it well and close it with a lid.

Serve hot with rice.