Topic: Jasmine's Tarka Dal

[Bob-A-Job]

During CV-19 lockdown I made a few new friends, one of which is of Indian descent and living in Houston, Texas and gave me this simple recipe she uses.
(I have added commentary where I queried with her my cooking experience and she has offered solutions).
Pictures at the end are of my last cook when I wanted a drier consistency (almost but not as dry as 'stuffing balls' you might have with Roast Chicken) as it was for a mixed platter type meal with Tandoori chicken leg, Samosa, Bhaji, Keebabs, salad, raitia and mango chutney (no pictures of that, sorry, you will have to imagine).

Jasmine's Tarka Dal
( Medium spice, Vegetarian )


Serves 2

Ingredients:

- 250ml Toor Dal (Yellow Lentils) or Masoor Dal (Red Lentils)
- 500ml water

Tempering:

- 3 Tbsp sunflower oil (or ghee if you prefer a nuttier taste)
- 1.5 Tsp Mustard seeds
- 1.5 Tsp Cumin seeds
- 1.5 Tsp Urad Dal
- 1.5 Tsp Chana Dal
- 1.5 Tsp Turmeric
- a good pinch of Asafetida (I am generous and use about 0.5 Tsp)

- 2-3 Medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 Tbsp minced Ginger
- 2 Garlic cloves, minced
- 1-2 Green chilies
- 1 small Onion finely chopped
- salt to taste

Method:

- Lightly dry roast the Toor Dal for a minute OR rinse the Masoor Dal until the water is clear.
- Add water to the Dal and simmer until soft (about 20 minutes).
- When the Dal is almost cooked, heat the oil in a seperate pan.
- Add the ingredients for Tempering and cook until the Mustard seeds start popping.
- Add Garlic, Ginger and Chilies and soften the onions (I add a little water as needed just to stop them burning).
- Add Tomatoes and Salt (if using sweet salad tomatoes, I have sometimes added a little Tamarind paste, about 0.5 tsp or just a very little lemon juice) and cook for a couple of minutes until soft.
- Add cooked Dal, mix well and cook on low until desired consistency/heated through.
- Serve

Toor Dal is my favourite! My photo's are of Masoor Dal as I didn't have any Toor Dal left at the time of cooking.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Fascinating, Bob

[vinotinto]

Interesting - are the urad dal and chana dal for the tempering put in whole?  Do they soften up?

[Bob-A-Job]

Fascinating, Bob