Dal Fry

I have never been much into Dal. I would have typical Gujarati Dal (Which is there for lunch at least 5 days a week) only if mom has prepared it. And later on, I also learnt to make it to get the exact taste. Still, I avoid having this dal in any function or at somebody’s place. Similarly, I avoid Dal Fry as well. Generally when people go out at restaurants, they order Dal Fry or Dal Tadka with Jeera Rice/Pulao. But I would still prefer rice with sabzi gravy. But HE loves dal fry like anything (or any dal for the fact), so I had no choice but to make it more often :(

Serves 2-4

Preparation Time: 10 Minute + soaking time

Cooking Time: 30 Minute

Ingredients

½ sup toor dal

½ cup moong dal

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped tomato

1 tsp cumin seeds

4-6 whole pepper

½ tsp green chili paste

½ tsp garlic paste

¼ tsp ginger paste

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp dhaniya powder

¼ tsp kitchen king

¼ tsp garam masala

¼ tsp aamchur

1 tbsp tomato paste

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure

1. Soak both dals for couple of hours and pressure cook them together

2. Stir it with hand blender while it is still hot. Avoid using electric blender

3. Add salt and bring dal to boil on low flame. Add desired quantity of water at this time only

4. In a separate skillet heat oil. Add cumin seeds, pepper, onion, chili paste, garlic paste and ginger paste

5. When onions turn golden brown, add tomato and kitchen king masala

6. Stir it until tomatoes turn soft and add remaining spices

7. Mix well and add this mixture to boiling dal

8. Add tomato paste, mix well and turn off the heat (When you add onion-tomato mixture to dal, it should be boiling. Once you mix them, do not cook for long)

9. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

PS Same recipe can be used with only toor dal too.

Moong Dal

I had never imaged that I would end up posting this recipe on my blog (Hence I do not have photo either). First reason is, I started this blog with intention to note down my experiments, at least I would not write common dish which we have in our everyday food. Secondly, I did not like this dish at all. It’s a very good example that using more or less same ingredients, how totally different varieties can be created. As much as I love મગની છૂટી દાળ (where moong dal is cooked directly on low flame, with minimal water hence final dish is dry and each grain is perfectly cooked and separated, hence the name છૂટી દાળ. Generally eaten with કઢી/ભાત/શાક/રોટલી), I hate the regular મગની દાળ (Dal is boiled, generally in pressure cooker with generous amount of water. It has liquid texture and generally eaten with ભાખરી/શાક/ભાત). This is my dad’s favorite dish and my mom would usually make it when I am fasting or eating outside.

But after getting married, I did not get much of a choice since this happens to be HIS favorite dish as well. Usually, I avoid making it, but once in a while, I give in to his requests. Recently when I made it, to my surprise I fell in love with it!! Now I am thinking to make it often with exact amount of ingredients and hence noting down the recipe :)

This is also very a good dish to be served when someone is sick. Avoid using ginger-chili-garlic and pepper if it is served to a sick person. It's full of protein, but still easy to digest. I have seen people in North India make it using Ghee, but I am sticking to oil only due to my love for ghee! ;)

Serves 2

Preparation Time: 20 Minute + soaking time

Cooking Time: 20 Minute

Ingredients

½ cup moong dal

1 tsp oil

¼ tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp cumin seeds

Pinch of asafetida

5-6 pc whole black pepper

2 cloves of garlic, minced

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp chili

¼ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp red chili powder

½ tsp dhaniya powder

½ tsp shredded jaggery

¼ tsp aamchur powder

¼ tsp garam masala

Salt

Coriander leaves for garnishing

Procedure

1. Soak dal for couple of hours in warm water and pressure cook it

2. Heat oil in a pan. Add pepper, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafetida

3. Add garlic, chili and ginger paste and stir it for a while

4. Now pour dal into the pan and add remaining spices

5. Add water as required and bring it to boil. Stir in between

6. Turn off the heat, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot

PS. This dal tends to thicken as it starts cooling down. So add sufficient water in the beginning.