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Toor Dal
February 16th, 2007 filed under Dal (Lentils)
Indian recipes uses several different dals (lentils) witch are more native to India. Toor dal, also known as Arhar, is a popular dish in almost every household.
Below, I describe 2 different chaunk variations, one with added vegetables and another just with ghee (clarified butter).
Serves 2 to 4.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup toor dal
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tablespoon fine chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
Vegetable Chaunk version:
- 2 tablespoons clear butter (ghee)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seed (rai)
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch)
- 2 bay leaves (tajpat)
- Pinch of asafetida (hing)
- 1 medium size chopped tomato
- 1 small zucchini chopped into 1 inch long cubes
- 6 string beans chopped about 1 inch long
Ghee Chaunk version:
- 2 tablespoons clear butter (ghee)
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed (jeera)
- 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seed (rai)
- 2 bay leaves (tajpat)
- Pinch of asafetida (hing)
- 4 whole red chili (sabut lal mirch)
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
Method:
- Wash dal, changing water several times until the water appears clear.
- Soak dal in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes or longer.
- In pressure cooker add dal, water, salt, turmeric and ginger, and cook on medium high heat.
- As the pressure cooker starts steaming turn the heat down to medium and cook for about 7 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and wait until steam has stopped before opening the pressure cooker.
- Mix dal well so there are no lumps. If dal is thick add more boiling water and make the consistency as you desire.
- Mix the mango powder and garam masala with a few spoons of water and add the mixture to the dal.
For vegetable chaunk:
- Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready. Add hing, cumin seeds, mustard seeds.
- After seeds crack add bay leaves and chili powder, stir for few seconds and add the vegetables.
- Stir the vegetables and cook for 4 to 5 minutes till the vegetables are tender.
- Add vegetable to dal and mix gently.
Ghee chaunk:
Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if it cracks right away oil is ready.
Add hing, cumin seeds, mustard seeds. After seeds crack stir for few seconds and add bay leaves, whole red chili and paprika.
Stir for a second and add 1 tablespoon of water so mixture does not burn.
Pour th spice mix over dal.
Serve with steamed rice or any Indian bread.
Aunty,
Your food is so delicious. I am 3 months pregnant and going crazy with the food cravings your website gives me such relief I tried making aloo parathas like you have taught in your videos they came out well. can you tell me the recipe for oodhiyo (the sabzee you make during uttarayan)
lots of love
Noopur
Hi,
Can you please make all these recipes available in a single combined document pdf, so that i can run it off on my printer and have it for my kitchen:)
Many thanks
dear Auntygee..thank you so much for yjis recipe. My husband loves dal and i am not making it the right way. I will try your method as soon as I can. many thanks! motixxoo
why dont u copy-paste the recipies in to word and print urself! think smart!
How do I make this without pressure cooker please auntyjee
Aisha, dal can be cooked without a pressure cooker it just takes longer. Soak the dal overnight if possible and then put it in a pan with water. Cook on medium heat with the lid partially covering. You must check it often because it can boil over if the heat is too much. Allow about 30 to 45 minutes to cook it this way.
Aisha, I feel compelled to warn you against too much turmeric or salt when cooking this dish on the stovetop! The lentils absorb a good deal of water, but a good deal is evaporated as well, concentrating some of the spices. It can be unpleasant. This is a wonderful recipe if you follow it as written, but beware if you deviate!
Dear Aunty \,
i made chana masala , dal makhani, rajma, veg cutlet, pakoras, mathi, aloo gobi, kadhai paneer, aloo & eggplant and my husband just loved it….
THANKS A TON
Aunty,
I love your website. It is a life saver. Can you give me the recipe for a typical Gujurati dal and Kadhi. Thank you.
Hi Hema,
These recipes in my do to list, I dont know when.
Thanks Aunti,
My wife is in India, This is first time in my life i prepared daal using your method. It looks fine for me.
Thanks
Amit
Hi Manjula Aunty,
I am going to make roti dal(vegetable chaunk version) now but I don’t have zuccini and beans. What other vegetables can we add. Can we add carrots and potatoes. Please reply.Thanks