Tadka Dhal (SF)

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Tadka Dhal

From Wikibooks, the open-content textbooks collection

http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Cookbook:Tadka_dhal

 

 

Tadka dhal is an everyday staple across South India.

 

 

Dhal

 

1/2 cup moong dhal, washed

2 cups water

 

Seasoning

 

2 - 3 tablespoons (30 - 45 ml) cooking oil

3 - 4 tablespoons (45 ml - 1/4 cup) finely diced onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

a small sliver of ginger, chopped -OR- 1/4 teaspoon ginger paste

4 - 5 curry leaves

1/4 teaspoon mustard seed

1/4 teaspoon cumin seed

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seed

1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida (optional)

1/2 tomatoes, chopped into 1/8ths

1 - 2 green chillies, slit lengthwise

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon red chilli (hot pepper) powder

pinch of salt, to taste

 

 

1. Set the dhal and water in an open pot on moderate heat until

quite mushy, adding water if it becomes dry and stirring

occasionally. This may take 30 minutes to an hour. A pressure cooker

may be used to speed up this part of the process.

 

2. Heat the oil in a pan.

 

3. Add mustard seed, standing well back (they tend to explode).

 

4. Add cumin seed, fenugreek, curry leaves, green chillies and

onions.

 

5. Wait for the onions to turn translucent. Add garlic and ginger,

turn the heat low until the garlic changes to a darker shade. Avoid

caramelizing the garlic. Add turmeric, red chilli and asafoetida

powder.

 

6. Throw in tomatoes, wait for 2-3 minutes, letting the tomatoes fry

in the hot oil. This lets the tomatoes pick the flavors from the

spices and also lets the oil-spice (tadka) mixture cool down,

stopping the hot frying process that has chilli powder in it. Pour

in the mushy dhal, add salt to taste.

 

7. Simmer until the tomatoes become soft (5-10 minutes), stirring

occasionally. Serve with rice or chapatis.

 

 

Serves 2.