Arhar Dal Variation (with rai, onion, garlic and curry leaves)

arhar dal variation

Tell someone in the West that you are a vegetarian and the first response usually is, that without meat, fish or eggs, you are very soon going to become protein deficient. So, how does a vegan or a vegetarian ensure that he or she does not become, what is the common public perception. Soy is said to be a very rich source of protein. Apart from soy, lentils too, are another very good source of vegetable proteins. In fact lentil curries are very common in India. This recipe is about one such lentil curry. Split pigeon peas lentil curry or Arhar Dal is very popular and usually eaten in some of the Northern and Eastern states of India such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Bihar. We have already discussed a simple way to make Arhar Dal. This recipe can be improved and be made tastier by adding rai (black mustard seeds), onion, garlic and curry leaves. This Arhar Dal variation recipe is also easy to replicate.

Unlike most other recipes found on the net in general that complicate the matters by adding too many ingredients and masalas, thereby overwhelming your taste buds, this recipe is very easy on your palette. For some people, this dal will feel as light as having a soup. 

Ingredients

Arhar Dal /Toor (split pigeon peas)-1/2 Small cup

Water-4 small cups (same cup as above!)

Turmeric (Haldi) powder-1/2 tea spoon

Salt–1/2 tea spoon or to taste

Tomato–2

Onion-1

Garlic-4 pieces

Rai (Black Mustard seed whole) — 1/2 tea spoon

Curry leaves-few

Desi Ghee (clarified butter)-2 tea spoon

Method:

Wash the Arhar Dal and put it in the pressure cooker with water, haldi, salt, and chopped tomatoes, onion and garlic. Close the lid with weight and let it come to full pressure (i.e. when the weight lifts and there is a whistling sound). Thereafter reduce the flame to minimum and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Turn the gas off and let the cooker cool down. Take a tempering pan and add the desi ghee. When it warms up, add the Rai till it splutters and then add the curry leaves. Please ensure that the rai doesn’t burn. Add this to the dal. Your simple Arhar Dal variation is ready.

© Copyright Prasenjeet Kumar 2013

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