Daal Tadka

Chef : Anjum Khan

A staple Indian dish, this lentil curry goes well will rice and rotis both – depending on the thickness of the curry. In my opinion though, it goes best with daal with some yougurt on the side! Or maybe some masala fish fry on the side!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 cup yellow Moong daal
1 fist full Toor daal
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Red Chili powder
2 Green Chilies, broken into halves with your hands or you can cut into half (use 1 for lower spice tolerance)
Salt to taste

For Tadkha/Tempering
1 ½ tbsp ghee
1 tsp Mustard seeds aka Rai
1 tsp Cumin seeds aka Zeera
3-4 whole dry Red Chilies
2 Green Chilies, chopped (optional)
2 cloves Garlic, sliced
1 inch Ginger, chopped (optional)
4-5 Curry leaves aka Kadi Patta (optional)

For Garnish
Coriander leaves or Mint leaves

Method:
1. Mix the moong daal and toor dal together and wash until clean.
2. Transfer daals to a pressure cooker and add water* about 2-3 inches above the level of daal**.
3. Add chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, broken green chilies.
4. Close lid and allow to pressurize on medium high heat for two whistles.
5. After two whistles, reduce heat and allow to pressurize until one more whistle. Turn off the heat either just before the third whistle or during.
6. Allow the pressure to release on its own.
7. Once the pressure is released, open the cooker and use a daal ghotni (old school – gives thickness) or electronic stick blender (the woman of today – smooth!) and blend.

Blending the daal using the daal ghotni

8. Add salt and stir.
9. If the consistency is too thin, heat until desired consistency is obtained.
10. If the consistency is too thick, add water and heat*** until desired consistency is obtained.
11. Turn off flame.

For Tadkha/Tempering (prepare after the daal is cooked)
12. Heat ghee in a small vessel.
13. Once hot, add the mustard and cumin seeds. Allow to crackle slightly.
14. Add the ginger, garlic, red and green chilies and sauté for a few minutes.
15. Add the curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
16. Turn off flame.

17. Topple tadkha into the pressure cooker over the daal**** and close lid immediately to seal in flavor. Keep closed for 2-3 minutes.
18. Open lid and stir. You can still fix the consistency at this stage.
19. Garnish and Serve hot and enjoy with rice/kitchdi/roti.

* Preferably use warm/hot water. I heat the water in the electric kettle and then add it. Takes lesser time to cook.
** Even if you add less/more water it doesn’t matter, you can always add/reduce later – but make sure it is minimum an inch above the daals.
***If you don’t heat it will be too watery and flavorless.
**** Make sure the flame of the cooker is off before adding the tadkha.

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