Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup – masoor dal or Tuvar dal
• 1 tsp – ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tsp – Red Chilli powder (or according to taste)
• 1/2 tsp – zeera powder
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric
• 1 tsp – salt (to taste)
• 1/4 cup – tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water (extract pulp by sieving through a fine mesh)
• 5 to 6 – fresh Curry leaves
• 1 – large Tomato or 2 small Tomatoes (chopped)
• 1 tbsp – chopped Coriander leaves
• 2 – 3 – Green chillies (chopped coarsely)
• For the tadka (tempering):
• 1.5 tsp – whole zeera
• 5 to 6 – Dried red chillies
• 1 Clove – Garlic (chopped into 2-3 pieces)
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard Seeds (optional)
• 4-5 – fresh Curry leaves
• 3-4 tbsp – oil

Method:

1. Wash the dal thoroughly.
2. Boil it in a pressure cooker with ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, red chilli powder, turmeric, 4-5 curry leaves, coriander leaves and green chillies.
3. Do not add salt at this stage as the dal won’t get boiled properly.
4. When the dal is boiled, mash it and now add salt, jeera powder, tamarind water and a few more curry leaves (6-7) and 1.5 cups water.
5. Stir and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
6. Turn off the flame.
7. Heat oil in a kadai or frying pan.
8. Add all the ingredients for tadka.
9. Be careful that they don’t burn.
10. Pour the tadka over the dal and cover with a lid immediately.
11. Serve along with plain rice.

Recipe courtesy of Tayyaba Akhtar