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Toor Dal

Indian recipes use several different dals (lentils) native to India. Toor dal, also known as arhar, is a popular dish in almost every household. Below I describe two variations, one with added vegetables and the other with seasoning only. Serves 2 to 4.

Ingredients 1 cup toor dal

4 cup water

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric (haldi)

1 Tbsp ginger (finely chopped)

1 tsp mango powder (amchoor)

1 tsp garam masala Variation 1: With Vegetable Chaunk/Seasoning 2 Tbsp clear butter (ghee)

1/2 tsp cumin seed (jeera)

1/2 tsp black mustard seed (rai)

1/2 tsp red chili powder (lal mirch)

2 bay leaves (tajpat)

Pinch of asafetida (hing)

1 medium tomato (chopped)

1 small zucchini (chopped into 1 inch long cubes)

6 string beans (chopped about 1 inch long) Variation 2: Chaunk/Seasoning 2 Tbsp clear butter (ghee)

1/2 tsp cumin seed (jeera)

1/2 tsp black mustard seed (rai)

2 bay leaves (tajpat)

Pinch of asafetida (hing)

4 whole red chili (sabut lal mirch)

1/4 tsp paprika

Method Wash dal, changing water several times until the water appears clear. Soak dal in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes or longer. In pressure cooker add dal, water, salt, turmeric, and ginger. Cook over medium high heat. When the pressure cooker starts to steam, lower the heat to medium and cook seven minutes. Turn off the heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening. Mix the dal well. If the dal is thick, add more boiling water to desired thickness. Mix the mango powder and garam masala with a few spoons of water and add the mixture to the dal. Variation 1: Vegetable Chaunk/Seasoning Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away, the oil is ready. Add hing, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. After the seeds crack, add bay leaves and chili powder. Stir for a few seconds. Add the vegetables. Stir and cook four to five minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Combine the vegetables and the dal and mix gently. Variation 2: Chaunk/Seasoning Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away, the oil is ready. Add hing, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. After the seeds crack, stir for a few seconds. Add bay leaves, whole red chilies, and paprika. Stir for a second, adding one tablespoon of water to prevent burning. Pour in spice mix over dal.