Toor dal along with vegetables of your choice, this south Indian staple makes for a one-pot meal that is so quick and easy to make. You can have with just plain rice.
I have used homemade sambar powder but you may use any store bought one too. Do try the homemade blend as it added a wonderful fresh flavour and it also less spicy than the store ones.
Ingredients
1. Toor dal / Pigeon Pea lentil– 1 cup, washed and soaked for ½ hour
2. Mixed vegetables – 1 cup, (carrot, beans, drumstick, brinjal potato)
3. Tamarind (Imli) – 1 tbsp
4. Ginger Paste – 1 tsp
5. Curry Leaves – 10-15
6. Sambar Powder – 2 tsp
7. Turmeric Powder (Haldi) – 1/4th tsp
8. Asafoetida (Hing) – a pinch
9. Mustard Seeds (Rai) – 1 tsp
10. Dried Red Chilli – 1 -2, broken
11. Fenugreek seeds (Methi dana) – 1 tsp
12. Salt to taste
13. Oil – 2 tbsp
Method
1. Soak the tamarind in a small bowl of hot water. Then remove its pulp and mix with the hot water. Strain the water to get a bowl of clear tamarind water paste.
2. Meanwhile, pressure-cook the toor dal with 2 cups of water for 3-4 whistles.
3. Once the dal is cooked, add the chopped mixed vegetables to the dal along with turmeric powder (haldi), asafoetida (hing), salt and ginger paste. Give it a mix and then close the lid and pressure-cook the dal again for 1-2 whistles.
4. Then add in the sambar powder and tamarind paste and let the dal simmer for 15-20 minutes on low heat. Keep stirring often.
5. Then take a pan and heat the oil. Add the mustard seeds (rai), curry leaves, dried red chilli and fenugreek seeds (methi dana) to the hot oil and fry for a few seconds.
6. Pour the tadka into the dal and mix well.
