Simple yellow lentils (toor or moong dal) finished with a sizzling tempering of ghee, cumin, garlic, and dried red chilies. The most commonly eaten dal across Indian households.
Ingredients
toor dal or moong dal (1 cup)
onions
tomatoes
garlic
cumin seeds
mustard seeds
dried red chilies
turmeric
asafoetida
ghee
salt
fresh coriander
lemon juice
Instructions
1Wash dal and pressure cook with turmeric and salt until soft. Mash lightly.
2Heat ghee in a small pan for the tadka (tempering).
3Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, dried red chilies, and sliced garlic. Fry until garlic is golden.
4Add chopped onions and tomatoes, cook briefly.
5Pour the sizzling tadka over the cooked dal. Mix, garnish with coriander and lemon juice. Serve with rice or roti.
Did You Know?
The tadka (tempering) technique is the soul of Indian cooking — the same dal can taste completely different depending on the tadka used.