• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

¼ cup cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped

1 teaspoon tamarind paste or 2 tablespoons

tamarind sauce (page 25)

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 cup onion, finely chopped

1. Combine toor dal, mung dal, and lentils. Wash in 3 to 4 changes of water and drain.

2. (For best results, cook in a pressure cooker. To cook in a skillet, see Note below.) In a pressure cooker, add dal, 2 cups of water, turmeric, salt, squash, and eggplant. Cover with the lid and put the pressure weight in place. Once pressure develops, reduce heat, and cook under pressure for 5 minutes. Cool the cooker until the pressure is removed. Open the lid carefully. The beans and vegetables should be very soft. Stir a few times.

3. In the meantime, prepare paste: In a blender, combine garlic, ginger, tomatoes, cumin seeds, garam masala, coriander, cayenne pepper, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds, cilantro, mint leaves, tamarind paste, and water. Grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.

4. In a large fry pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add onion and fry 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Add the paste and fry until oil separates, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

5. Add the dal mixture to the onion paste. Stir to coat dal mixture with the spices. Add ½ cup water, or more as needed, for desired consistency. (Mixture should have a thick, stew-like consistency.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Serve hot over a bed of rice.

NOTE: To cook in a skillet: After washing dals as instructed in step 1 above, soak the dals for 2 hours or longer. Drain dals. Combine drained dals, 4 cups of water, salt, turmeric, squash, and eggplant. Bring dal to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until the dals and vegetables are very soft. Stir to smooth consistency. Follow steps 3 to 6 to finish cooking.

NUTRITION INFORMATION PER SERVING:

Calories: 159; Total Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 0.5 g); Carbohydrate: 22 g; Protein: 7 g; Fiber: 4 g;

Sodium: 443 mg

GF, LF

Garlic-Flavored Mixed Dal

Lehsun Wali Dal

SOAK: 2 hours or longer (optional)

PREP: 10 minutes

COOK: 20 minutes

MAKES: 8 servings

SERVING SIZE: ½ cup

Mixing five different dals imparts a very different flavor to this dish. Since all the dals are split and dehusked, they cook up quickly. Garlic infuses the dal and adds a lot of flavor.

¼ cup (split, hulled) toor dal

3 tablespoons pink lentils

3 tablespoons (split, hulled) urad dal

3 tablespoons (split, hulled) mung dal

3 tablespoons (split, hulled) chana dal

4 cups water

2 teaspoons ginger, peeled and grated

½ teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice

SEASONING (CHOUNK)

1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil

⅛ teaspoon asafetida powder

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon garlic, grated

¼-½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1. Combine all the dals and wash in 3 to 4 changes of water. Soak for about 2 hours. (Dal can be cooked without soaking if you are using the pressure cooker.) Drain the soaking water.

2. (For best results, cook in a skillet. To cook in a pressure cooker, see Note below.) In a medium saucepan, combine washed lentils, water, ginger, turmeric, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft and soupy.

3. Prepare seasoning: In a small fry pan, heat oil on medium-high heat. Add the asafetida and cumin seeds. Cook for a few seconds until cumin seeds are golden brown. Add garlic and cook for a few seconds. Remove from heat and add cayenne pepper.

4. Add seasoning to the dal. Stir in lemon juice and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve hot.

NOTE: To cook in a pressure cooker: Follow step 1 above. Add drained dals, 2 cups of water, ginger, turmeric, and salt. Cover with a pressure cooker lid and put the pressure weight in place. Once pressure develops, reduce heat to medium and cook under pressure for 2 minutes. Cool the cooker until all the pressure is removed. Open the