Tadka Dal

Dal is one of my all time favourite dishes. It’s such a delicious comfort food. I can eat bowls and bowls and bowls of them (with rice of course).

• 1 cup Moong dal, soaked overnight
• 3 cups Water
• 1 tsp Oil
• 1 Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Green chilies, cut lengthwise
• 1 Tbsp Ginger, pounded
• 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/8 tsp Asafoetida/hing
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed
• 1 Tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt

• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 Tbsp Garlic, pounded
• 3 Dry whole red chilies
• 10 Curry leaves
• 1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1. Wash the soaked moong dal a couple of times.
2. Heat 1 tsp oil, add onions. Fry until fragrant.
3. Add green chillies + ginger + turmeric powder + hing. Fry until fragrant.
4. Add moong dal + water + onion mixture to pressure cooker. Pressure cook for 5 minutes. The consistency should be like a thin pumpkin soup
5. Add garam masala powder + crushed kasuri methi. Mix with hand whisk.
6. Season with salt. Taste
7. Take off heat. Add coriander leaves, mix well.
8. Heat 1 Tbsp oil on low flame in a small pan.
9. Add cumin seeds + dry whole red chillies + garlic. Fry until the cumin seeds crackle, the garlic brown, and the chillies change colour. Be patient, don’t increase the heat – you don’t want to burn them.
10. Add curry leaves, fry for a few seconds
11. Add red chilli powder. Mix well and turn off heat.