Tadka Urad Dal
Tadka Urad Dal was a favored lentil dish in my family while I was growing up. Dal is a staple dish in Indian meals and, for most Indian vegetarians, a frequent source of protein. This delicious, nourishing dish can accompany any number of different meals be it lunch or dinner.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 1 cup urad dal washed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 Tbsp ginger finely chopped
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp mango powder amchoor
Seasoning
- 3 Tbsp ghee clarified butter
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds jeera
- 1/8 tsp asafetida hing
- 1 green chili sliced
- 1 Tbsp ginger thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp red pepper adjust to taste
- 4 pieces lemon for garnishing
Instructions
- Wash and soak urad dal for at least 20 minutes. Dal will be double in volume after soaking. Drain the water.
- Put dal with 2 cups water into a pressure cooker and add salt, turmeric, and ginger. Close the cover and cook on medium high heat.
- When the pressure cooker starts to steam, turn the heat down to low and cook for five minutes.
- Turn off the heat and wait until all the steam has escaped before opening the pressure cooker. Dal should be soft. If needed add more water, dal should be not very mushy you should be able to see the grains. You should be able to scoop the dal with roti. Dal will thicken as it sits after cooking. So leave it more liquid than you want it to be.
- Add garam masala, and mango powder mix it well.
Seasoning
- Heat ghee in a small saucepan. Test the heat by adding one cumin seed to the ghee; if it cracks immediately, the oil is ready. Add the cumin seeds. When they begin to crack, add the asafetida, ginger, and green chilies. Stir for a few seconds. Add red chili powder and 1 tablespoon of water to prevent the spices from burning. Pour spiced chaunk over hot dal, before serving.
Notes
Tadka urad dal is ready serve with roti or paratha, or with plain rice.