Dal Tadka and Jeera Rice

Home Page

Recipe:

    Cuisine: Indian Vegetarian

    Category: Main Course

    Preparation time: 10 minutes

    Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

    Serving Size: 3-4 persons

    Author: Bhumika Joshi

Ingredients:

• For Dal
• 3/4 cup toor dal (split pigeon pea) 
• 3 tbsp split red masoor dal(split red lentils)
• 1/2 tsp haldi (turmeric) powder
• 3 cups water 
• 2 tbsp oil/ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds) 
• Hing (asafoetida) a pinch
• 1 medium pyaz (onions) pureed
• 1 inch adrak (ginger)grated
• 6 small lehsun (garlic)grated
• 1 small hari mirch (green chili) - chopped
• 1 large tamatar (tomatoes) - finely chopped 
• 1/4 tsp kashmiri lal mirch (red kashmiri chili) powder 
• 1 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder 
• 1/4 tsp garam masala (blend of ground spices)
• 1 tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 2 tbsp  fresh dhaniya (coriander leaves) - chopped 
• For tadka/tempering
• 1 tbsp ghee(clarified butter)
• 1 pinch aesofotadia
• 2 lehsun (garlic) grated
• 2 sukhi laal mirch (dried red chili)
• 1/4 tsp kashmiri lal mirch (red chili) powder (optional)
• Salt as per taste
• For Jeera Rice
• 1 cup basmati chawal (Rice) (soaked 20 minutes)
• 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tbsp jeera (cumin seeds)
• 2 cups water
• Salt as per taste

Method:

• For Dal
• Pressure cook the washed toor and masoor dal with salt, turmeric powder and 3 cups of water for 4 whistles. Set it aside.
• Heat ghee in a pan/wok/kadhai on medium heat. 
• Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle.
• Now add the chopped onion and saute on medium heat. When the onion starts changing color add the grated ginger and garlic and saute again till the raw smell of ginger garlic fades.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and salt and mix well.
• Cover the pan for 4-5 minutes on low-medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the tomatoes turn soft.
• Now add the dry masala's (like kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and kasuri methi).
• Saute the masala for a minute and add the boiled dal. 
• Mix well and add the chopped coriander. 
• Adjust the consistency of the dal by adding more water if you think its too thick. Lower the flame and let the dal cook for 4-5 minutes.
• Prepare for the tadka
• Add 1 tbsp ghee to the tadka pan. Once hot add the chopped garlic, saute and add pinch of aesofotadia. Now add the dried red chillies and the kashmiri red chili powder. 
• Adjust the flame to make sure you don't burn the tadka.
• Pour the tadka over the cooked dal and serve hot with plain or jeera rice.
• For Jeera Rice (in pressure cooker)
• Heat  ghee in a pressure cooker on medium flame.
• Once hot add the cumin seeds and saute till they crackle.
• Add the soaked rice and mix well. 
• Now add water and salt. Give it a stir and close the pressure cooker and cook the rice for 2 whistles.
• Once the pressure is released serve rice with piping hot dal tadka.