Lehsuni Dal Fry – Garlic Tempered Lentils

Ingredients (Serves 4-6 Persons)

• 1/4 cup moong dal, rinsed & soaked for 30 minutes
• ¼ cup masoor dal, rinsed & soaked for 30 minutes
• ½ cup split Bengal Gram lentil / chana dal, rinsed & soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 2 medium size tomatoes, cut in fours
• 1 tablespoon ginger – garlic paste
• 2 tablespoons oil
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 cups water for pressure cooking
• 2 cups hot water

Dry spice powders to be added while cooking the dal

• ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric / haldi powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder / dhania
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder / jeera
• ¼ teaspoon homemade garam masala powder

For seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons oil / ghee
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
• 5-7 cloves garlic, sliced
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida / hing
• Pinch of turmeric & chilli powder
• 5-6 curry leaves (optional)
• 1-2 dry red chillies, broken
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped

Procedure

1. In a pressure cook take the rinsed dals along with 3 cups water, slit green chillies, cubed tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, salt & oil.
2. Add in the dry spice powders, give it a good mix and pressure cook for 4 whistles or until cooked. Allow the pressure to reduce by itself.
3. Open the cooker & remove the skins of the tomatoes.
4. Now churn / mash the dal along with the tomatoes well, allowing for a few chana dal pieces to remain whole. The rest of the lentils should be well mashed.
5. Add the 2 cups of hot water & mix well, giving the dal a smooth soupy consistency. It is important to add pre boiling water here to get the perfect consistency.
6. Return to flame & allow it to come to a boil on medium flame.
7. In the meanwhile, in a small seasoning pan, heat 2 tbsp ghee / oil.
8. Add cumin seeds and splutter. Add the hing.
9. Quickly add sliced garlic, 1-2 broken red chillies & few curry leaves, if using.
10. Turn off the flame. Finally add a pinch of turmeric & chilli powder.
11. Stir quickly & add to the pressure-cooked dal mixture and mix well.
12. Immediately add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves on top of the hot seasoning.
13. Lehsuni Dal Tadka tastes best when paired with jeera rice.