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Kali Masoor Dal-Dhaba Style

Aanchal Gupta
A popular North Indian dal,available in roadside food stalls called dhabas,made real simple by adding the tarka to the raw dal and cooking it all together.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Lentils/Beans/Dal
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup Kaali Masoor Dal
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi
  • salt to taste I used about 1 tsp

For Tarka/Vaghar

  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 large tomato chopped
  • 1 Jalapeno Green Chili
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 tsp Jeera
  • 1 clove
  • 1 Bayleaf
  • 1 tsp Kasoori Methi
  • pinch of garam Masala
  • 1/4-1/2 tsp Red Chili powder/Lal mirch powder
  • 2 tbsp ghee use oil for a vegan option

For Garnishing

  • 1 inch piece Ginger minced
  • Cilantro chopped

For tempering

  • 1 tsp ghee Use oil for a vegan option
  • 1/4 tsp paprika/lalmirch/Kashmiri lal mirch

Instructions
 

  • Wash and soak dal overnight
  • In hot ghee/oil, add Jeera/cumin and let it crackle
  • Add clove, bayleaf, stir and add Onion.make them pink and translucent.
  • Add Garlic, tomatoes and jalapeno and cook till tomatoes are completely mushy.
  • In pressure cooker, add dal, water, salt, turmeric/haldi and the prepared tarka.
  • Give 2 whistles
  • We don't want to over cook the dal, pressure cookers vary, so please keep checking.
  • Open cooker and add minced Ginger

for Tempering

  • Heat ghee/oil and add paprika/lalmirch/kashmiri lal mirch. Pour over hot dal
  • Garnish with chopped cilantro/coriander/dhaniya patta.

Notes

I like to put Tarka in raw dal and then cook them together, its easier and I feel the flavors blend in better. You can boil the dal separately and then put tarka/vaghar on top.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!