Gujarati Dal
Gujarati Dal is this everyday dal made with dried split pigeon peas, spices, peanuts, yam, and unlike other dal recipes, it has sweetness from jaggery, slight tanginess from either kokum or lemon juice and slight kick from the spices.
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup toovar dal/split pigeon peas
- 1/4 cup suran/yam approx. 6-8 cubes
- 3-4 dried dates or dates deseeded
- 1 medium sized tomato
- ¼ cup peanuts
- 1 tsp each ginger-chilli paste
- 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1-2 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tsp coriander cumin powder
- ½ tbsp methia masalo
- 2-3 tbsp jaggery according to preference
- 1-2 Kokum or 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt to taste
- Cilantro to garnish
Tempering
- 2 tbsp Ghee/oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp fenugreek/methi seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafetida powder
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1 dried red chilie
- 2 cloves
- 1 tiny cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp red chili powder
Instructions
- Wash and strain the dal for 3-4 times or until you see clear water. Let it soak for atleast 20 minutes. Add 2 cups of water and then cook it in presser cooker (5-6 whistles) or pot until its soft and completely cooked and mushy. Once cooled down, run it in a blender or sieve it and make sure it’s all liquid and silky-smooth flowing consistency.
- Heat the ghee/oil in a large pot, add mustard seeds, let them crackle and then followed by add fenugreek seeds, whole red chili, cinnamon, cloves, curry leaves, asafetida and peanuts. Saute until the peanuts brown and then add ginger chili paste, red chili powder, asafoetida and sauté for few seconds. Add chopped tomato and sauté it for few seconds, and add boiled dal, kokum, jaggery, and all the other spices like red chili powder, turmeric, salt, coriander-cumin powder,
- Stir it and bring to the boil, cook for full 10 minutes. Keep Stirring in between. If you need to add more water, then do so.
- Gujarati Dal is ready, garnish it with cilantro and serve it alongside rice or as part of a thali meal with rotli, shaak etc.
Notes
- If you buy toor dal, it is ideal to buy oily version. The oil helps preserve toor dal, but it also softens it up while cooking. I have tried non-oiled dal; it does not boil well. If you cannot find one, then it’s okay.
- Dal will thicken on cooling. If making ahead, you may need to add additional water before serving.
- As dal boils, it will develop a skin on top. This is normal. Stir often to minimize.
- Toor dal with oil, needs to be rinsed and washed thoroughly to remove the oil. Soak it for 20-30 minutes.
- Whatever method you use to cook the dal, it needs to be cooked until it becomes mushy.