Dal Fry

 Dal Fry or Lentil soup is the most popular recipe from North India. It is super delicious when prepare in authentic style. My Favorite and I prefer to have it with milky white Basmati Rice. But it is indeed a tasty side treat along with phulka, rotis/chapatis. Got this recipe from a friend but i made a few changes while making it in my kitchen. Came out well. In North they use combination of dals too to make this curry. Here I have used normal Thuvar Dal. 

Ingredients :

Tuvar Dal (Yellow split pigeon Pea)        3/4 Cup

water    3 1/4 cups

Ghee  1 Tbsp

Cumin (Jeera ) 1Tbsp

Onion Finely chopped 1 Medium size

Green Chillies 3 no.s

Ginger Garlic paste 3/4 Tbsp

Curry Leaves one / two twigs

Tomato Finely chopped 1 small

Turmeric Powder 1/2 Tsp

Chilly powder 1 Tsp

Salt as required

Corriander leaves and a small piece of Lemon for garnishing

 Preparation :

Wash  tuvar dal thoroughly. Use warm water for the first rinse. and repeat the same with normal water too. Cook the lentils in a pressure cooker by adding water and salt. After one whistle keep the flame on low or medium and cook for another 4 whistles. Switch it off and let it sit un disturbed for another 20 minutes. 

In a heavy bottomed Kadai pour ghee and add cumin seeds first. Let it crackle. Then add chopped onion, curry Leaves and splitted green chillies. Saute it and after five minutes add ginger garlic paste too. Once the onions become translucent and color turns to brown. add chopped tomato, mix it and cover it for five to seven minutes. so that tomato will be cooked well. open the lid and add turmeric powder and red chilly powder and a pinch of garam masala powder too which is optional. Open the pressure cooker Mix well the cooked lentils with a whisk. Pour it to the prepareed gravy. Let it boil and switch it off. I didnt add water since water consistency was right. If you find it thick then you can add boiled water little by little if you get the right consistency during the process. Finally squeeze a small piece of lemon over the curry and garnish it with corriander leaves. serve it hot and enjoy it with Rice or Roti or chapati or with any main dish of your choice. 

If you like kasuri meti you can add it too crushed during the final stage of cooking.