Dal is such a comforting meal during cold gloomy months of winter. It’s one of those dishes that you can make a big pot of it and enjoy it for a whole week. It stores very well.
As a vegetarian, its important to have protein rich foods and dal makes it up for as a protein. Dal Chawal as we call it is the basic food that every India household loves to make.
I often make this dish for get togethers. I have used moong dal, but you can use any other type of lentils.
Moong dal cooks quickly, it being softest and smaller lentil in size. I often use a mix of lentils while making tis dish. If you use toor dal or chana dal, cooking time will vary.
We have so many lentils in our cooking, urad dal, chana dal, toor dal, moong dal, masoor dal. Etc.
Dal – as I mentioned you can use any dal, but the cooking time will vary depending on which dal you use.
Dals also come in various form- I have used split skinless yellow moong dal and another variety I have used is green split with skin moong dal. It has green colored skin to it. Both are same product just different colors.
Spices- The spices I have used a just normal everyday cooking spices found in a masala dabba of Indian cooking. You can also add to your preference. Sometimes, I also add a green chili on top of other spices.
The whole spices that I have added, you can remove it before serving so that people do not end up biting into them. Whole spices are edible, but lot of people do not prefer to eat them.
There are two ways to make tis dish with same results.
- Boil dal in a bigger pot. Make ‘tadka’ in a smaller pan, add that to the boiled dal and stir well.
- Boil dal make ‘tadka’ in a bigger pot and then add the dal to it.
Technically, we are doing the same thing.
So simple and easy to make. I will share some day how to make dal paranthas using leftover dal.
They are also so easy and so delicious to be enjoyed with some raita. I gave you some tips in notes, make sure to read it.
Make this dal with rice and snuggle up on couch and enjoy it.
Dal Fry
Ingredients
- ½ cup yellow split moong dal boiled
- ½ cup split green moong dal boiled
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 small onion chopped
- 1 small tomato chopped
- 2-3 cloves garlic grated
- 1- inch piece ginger grated
- 1 whole clove
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ -1 tsp garam masala
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp Cilantro chopped
- Half a Lemon
Instructions
- Boil dal as per your preference. It should be completely soft and when you press it between your fingers it should mush up. It will take at least ½ hour in a pot. It takes about 20-25 minutes in instant pot. Add enough water while boiling it.
- Tadka
- Take a pot on medium heat. Once the pot is hot, add the ghee or oil whatever you are using. Add cumin seeds once they splutter, add garlic, ginger and onions. Saute them until the onions are translucent.
- Once the onions look cooked add the tomatoes, bayleaf and clove. Let it soften up a little bit.
- Add all the spices red chili, turmeric and garam masala powder. Add salt to too. Stir.
- Add the boiled dal and about 1 cup of water and stir everything well. You can let it simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the consistency of dal is thick. Taste to see if you need to add any more spices or salt.
- Dal thickens as it sits. So, consider that fact.
- Garnish it with cilantro and serve lemon wedges on the side.
- Serve it with basmati rice or Jeera rice. (cumin rice) with some salad/kachumber on the side.
- You can add more spice if you want it spicier.
- There are two ways to make this dish. One the way I showed you. Another way you can boil your dal, and then in a smaller pan or pot, sauté the onion mix with spices and drizzle that on top of the dal. Mix it up. The second method is called ‘vaghar’ or ‘tadka’, ‘chhonk’
- Dal has natural element where it thickens up very well and becomes very creamy. You can always add more water and loosen it up a little bit. If you added more water, then you can simmer it longer until the water is evaporated.
- If you like, you can add some fried onions on top.
- Leftover dal makes good dal paranthas.
Notes
- Vegaize it – Use oil in Tadka .
- You can add more spice if you want it spicier.
- Dal has natural element where it thickens up very well and becomes very creamy.
- You can always add more water and loosen it up a little bit. If you added more water, then you can simmer it longer until the water is evaporated.
- If you like, you can add some fried onions on top.
- Leftover dal makes good dal paranthas.
XO Devangi
