If you're a fan of a good Desi flavored Daal you've landed in the right place. Today I'm sharing a recipe that has stolen my heart and won over my senses with its simple and yet intense flavors. For some reason I've always been nervous about trying to cook daal. I've always had daal recipes saved to try eventually but when the 'eventually' comes I push the daals away for later and always end up cooking something else. Finally, I decided to try my hand at cooking a good desi daal and regardless of how nervous I was about ending up ruining something, this turned out extremely delicious.
It is a fairly easy recipe with not a lot of spices either and yet this is so so so flavorful. You start with lightly browning onions and then adding in the tomatoes and spices and finally the lentils. Then all you have to do is add water and wait for the daal to cook to the right consistency. This recipe makes a daal that has a risotto like consistency - it isn't liquidy like curry and it isn't dry, it's something soft and creamy in the middle. The taste is perfectly desi, warm, and comforting. I found myself wanting to gobble it all up with a spoon, leaving no leftovers. It was just SO delicious. You can pair it with naan, chapaati, any kind of roti you like really. Ohhh I think it would pair so well with boiled rice or zeera (cumin) fried rice too. Or if you're like me you won't be able to stop yourself and you'll just dig in with a spoon!
Mmmmm mmmmm ... Lets just dig in!
Ingredients:
- Moong Daal (yellow lentils) - 1/2 cup soaked in water for at least two hours
- Masoor Daal (red lentils) - 1/2 cup soaked in water for at least two hours
- Oil - About 1/2 cup, more or less according to your liking
- Onions - 1 large onion sliced thinly
- Cumin Seeds (Zeera) - 1 tsp.
- Tomatoes - 1 large or 2 medium sized chopped
- Turmeric Powder (Haldi) - 1/2 tsp.
- Red Chili Powder (Laal Mirach Powder) - 1/2 tsp. or according to taste
- Crushed Red Chili - 1/4 tsp. or according to taste
- Salt - 1/2 tsp. and then adjusted to taste in the end
- All Spice Powder (Garam Masala Powder) - 1 tsp.
- Green Chilies - according to taste, chopped and one green chili for the last step
- Cilantro (Hara Dhanya) - generous handful chopped and more for optional garnish
Method:
Soak both Moong (yellow) and Masoor (red) daals/lentils in water for at least two hours. When I cooked this recipe my daals had soaked for about three to four hours.
Prepare your ingredients by measuring out the spices in a small bowl and chopping the onions, tomatoes, and green chilies. If you have the prep done this recipe takes no time at all.
Heat oil in a pan and add the Cumin Seeds (Zeera) along with the sliced onions. Fry the onions on medium high heat until they are lightly brown. Do not over brown the onions as they'll be cooking more in the next step as well.
Add the chopped tomatoes and the green chilies (if using). Add about a 1/2 cup of water and let the tomatoes cook on medium heat for about ten minutes. Keep an eye on them and if you find the water is drying up add a little more for them to cook in.
Add in the spices (Turmeric/Haldi, Red Chili Powder/Laal Mirach, Crushed Red Chili, Salt, and All Spice/Garam Masala). Mix everything together, cover with lid, and let it cook while covered for about five to ten more minutes until tomatoes are soft and cooked through.
After about ten minutes you'll find the tomatoes will have become softer and will resemble a curry like consistency. Add in the daals and add about 2 cups of water. Mix everything very well. Increase the heat to high, bring the daals to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low after about two minutes.
Let this cook covered with a lid on medium heat. Keep checking every few minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan and the water doesn't entirely dry out. When you see the daal reaching a risotto like consistency with a little water remaining only, check to see if the daals have cooked through. They should hold their shape but not have a hard bite to them and if you press with your finger you should be able to easily break it. Taste to make sure they have softened and also to check for salt.
Add the chopped Cilantro/Hara Dhanya and mix well. At this point if your daal needs more time to cook add some water. Also add salt according to your taste. Drop in a green chili in your pan, cover with the lid, and let the flavors spread through, cooking on low heat for at least two minutes. I find this last step gives the daal a very delicious and appetizing green chili aroma. Mmmmm ... mouth watering!
Optional garnish with more Cilantro/Hara Dhanya and you're done! That was easy peasy, wasn't it!? Now do yourself a favor, grab a spoon, and let the flavors of this daal explode in your mouth. You will love it! I am sure of it!
I am thinking of so many ways this can be devoured; chapaati, naan, boiled rice or seasoned, by itself with a giant spoon, paratha ... I even enjoyed this the next day with a fresh hot poori! Mmmmmmm ... Even the leftovers are mind blowing! My nieces loved these too. Gubby said it was 'super delicious' and Chunky said 'wow, I like this!' I get extra Auntie points and a delicious Daal - win win ... hoorayyyyyy!
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