Daal Amritasri, is the new addition in my menu of things I cook regularly. It is very easy to make and tastes lie heaven. The flavors come out best when cooked slow in an open pot. I don't have luxury to cook slow due to time constraints, but I have tied this cooking in rice cooker and it came out awesome. For everyday purposes, I cook in pressure cooker and simmer for 20-30 minutes on very low heat.
Ingredients:
Whole black / urad daal - 1 cup
Chana daal - 1/4 cup
Water - 4 cups
Red onions - 1 small, finely chopped
Ripe tomatoes - 1 small, finely chopped
Green chillies - 1-2 chopped (optional)
Ginger - 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Garlic - 1 tbsp, minced
Bay leaf - 1-2, medium
Garam masala - 1tbsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cilantro - handful for garnish
Ghee - 1 tbsp (optional)
Vegetable oil - 2 - 3 tbsp
Cumin seeds (jeera) - 1.5 tsp
Method:
- Soak urad and chana daal overnight or at least for 4-5 hours.
- Rinse the daal and pressure cook along with water, ginger, garlic, salt and turmeric. Daal should be cooked till it is soft. Mash some of the lentils to get thick consistency.
- Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin seeds and once it starts to splutter, add bay leaf followed by green pepper and onions. Add tomatoes once onions are cooked to pinkish color. Add garam masala, dhaniya powder, more turmeric and cook the mixture on low flame till it starts to release oil. It is very important to constantly stir the mix to prevent fro burning.
- Once the masala mix is cooked, add the mixture to the cooked daal, which is still in the cooker and simmer. I simmer for 20 - 30 minutes on very low heat.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro and a dollop of ghee !
Note: You can also reserve some garlic and ginger to fry along with onions. Sometimes, I also add rajma powder to add little zing.
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