Prep time: 30 min to wash and soak dal.
Cooking time : 20 minutes.
Serves : 3-4 people.
Ingredients:
1 cup or 150 gms of Toor dal (Pigeon Pea)
Palak : 1 large cup or about 200 gms. Washed and chopped.
Onions : chopped about half a cup. (1 small sized onion)
Tomato : chopped about half a cup (1 small sized tomato)
Garlic chopped : a few pods.
Chopped green chilies : 2-3.
Ghee : 3-4 teaspoons.
Water : 3-4 cups.
Jeera (Cumin) seeds : 1 teaspoon
Garam masala : 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder :1 teaspoon
Chilli powder : 1 spoon
Hing (asafoetida) : 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste.
Method:
Use a small-sized cooker (2 ltrs) and heat, now add ghee, jeera seeds, garlic, chillis, and finally hing. Once they fry add the chopped onions and fry for some more time. When the onion is done, add chopped tomatoes. Once the tomato turns mushy, add the chopped palak. Add three cups of water and mix this all up. Now add a spoon each of turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala. Mix up the ingredients inside. Add the washed dal and 2 to 3 cups of water. Add a spoon of salt and garam masala and mix it up again. Close the lid and pressure cook for three whistles. Once the pressure is released, check for consistency of the Dal, and add water to adjust the same. The best result is when the Dal is cooked soft and mushy.
Tips:
- The amount of water you need to cook for the dal will depend on the quality of the grocery you use. Hence if you feel the dal is half done, add more water and pressure cook for 2 more whistles.
- Always use a default ghee Tadka for dals. Heat some ghee, sputter some jeera seeds and add red chili and pour over the dal.
- Washing and soaking dal is always advised before cooking the same.
