Dal or Pulses – a very significant source of protein, is a part of the daily Indian meal. There are variety of dals (refer to the Glossary section for further reference) and lots of variations in their cooking (mainly in their tempering). I will try to highlight a few of them in this post.
Ingredients:
- Musur Dal – 1 cup
- Salt – to taste
- Sugar – optional and to taste
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Ginger paste –
- Garlic cloves
- Slit green chillies
- Tomatoes –
- Turmeric powder – 1/4th tsp
- Oil/Butter/Ghee – 1 tbsp + for garnishing
- Water
- Chopped coriander leaves – for garnishing.
Method:
Note: It is quicker and easier to use a pressure cooker to boil the lentils.
- Wash the dal thoroughly, and pressure cook (or boil) it with 2-3 cups of water, salt, garlic cloves and green chillies. (You can add the tomatoes at this stage or later). Simmer until the dal is cooked, which in my case is 5-6 whistles, but can vary.
- This step is called tempering. Heat oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and let it sizzle.
- Add ginger paste, turmeric powder, and tomatoes (if not added in the pressure cooker).
- Add the boiled lentils and mix well.Add more water if required as per the desired consistency.
- Check and adjust salt and add sugar if required.
- Garnish with 1 cube of butter or 1 tsp of ghee and chopped coriander leaves.
Variations:
- While tempering, add some onions with or without ginger and garlic. (It is not always necessary to use ginger and garlic).
- Add a pinch of asafoetida while tempering.
- Temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.
- Use any other dal (lentil) or a combination of dal to get varied flavors.
- Use Panchforon or Panch Puran for tempering.
Pam's Cookbook 