Toor Ki Dal

AUTHOR: Meher
RATING: 3 vote(s)
DESCRIPTION: Toor Ki Dal also spelled as Tuvar ki Dal in this section is made in Sindhi Style. This is the traditional Sindhi recipe for this curry. This is a very flavorful and tasty lentil curry. One can have a bowl of this on a cold winter night as a soup all by itself!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Toor dal (yellow lentils or Split Pigeon Peas ), cleaned, washed and drained
4 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
1 tsp. fenugreek seeds (methi)
1 tsp. cumin seed
1/4 tsp Asafoetida powder(Hing)
Fresh curry leaves, washed and torn
3 inches fresh ginger finely chopped
Finely chopped green chilies to taste
2 medium fresh tomatoes chopped
4 - 5 cups water
½ cup tamarind pulp OR 5-6 Cocum OR little of both
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
2 tsp. turmeric powder
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste

Preparation

Soak Dal for ½ hr – 1 hr
Pressure cook the lentils (toor dal) in a pressure cooker along with 4 - 5 cups of water until the lentils are tender.
With the help of a beater (mashing tool) mash the Dal with its water.
Then add in the tomatoes, green chilies, ginger, kaddipatta , turmeric powder and salt to taste.
Mix well and allow it to cook on medium-high flame till tomatoes are tender and Dal changes its colour.Can add more water if required.
Extract tamarind pulp from tamarind to use as tamarind water.
(To do this, soak about 3 inches piece of tamarind in 1 cup of hot water. When soft ,squeeze to extract the tamarind pulp and let it mix with the water to form 'tamarind water')
Measure out ½ cup of tamarind water in a cup and add this tamarind water to the Dal mixture.(Same time you can also put Cocum).
Allow it to boil for another 10 mins or till Dal becomes sour of your taste.(some like very sour and some don’t.So keep checking,before overboiling).
When Dal is ready slow the flame.
Meanwhile heat oil in a pot on medium-high flame.
Once its hot, add mustard seeds, methi seeds and cumin seeds.
Allow to splutter and crackle.
Add asafoetida powder and red chilie powder for colour and switch off the gas before red chillie changes its colour.
Add this to hot Dal and Cover with the Lid.
Remove from the flame and add fresh coriander leaves.
Serve with steam Basmati rice.
Serve hot along with plain yogurt and fried Papads on the side for a complete wonderful Asian-Indian meal.