Tomato Masala Dal

Here is another masala dal recipe. It has several of the same ingredients as the previous one, but it also has a few additions and removals which make it taste almost completely different. In addition, this recipe has no chilies in it, apart from the chili powder, so it is a lot less spicy.

Tomato Masala Dal

2 cups Toor dal

1 can petite diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tsp (heaped) garlic paste

1 tsp (heaped) ginger paste

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp coriander powder

Salt to taste

Little oil

In a bowl, soak the dal for about 15-20 minutes. Drain in before you put it in the cooker.

In a pressure cooker, heat a little oil and brown the onions. Once they start to brown, add the cumin and coriander seeds, allow them to cook a bit. Now add the ginger and garlic pastes. Next add the salt, turmeric, chili, coriander, and cumin powders. Cook it until the raw smells go, and then add the dal, stir it so that it’s well mixed, then add water. Put only enough water to just about cover the dal. Put on the lid, and whistle and cook it on a medium-high heat, till the whistle blows.

Switch off the stove, let all the steam out and open the cooker carefully. Check to see how much water is in there. Add more water if needed, and then cook again on medium-high heat until the whistle blows. This time, do not open the cooker. Switch off the stove and allow the pressure to go down on its own as it cools. The dal should be cooked, but still hold its shape. It should not be completely mushy, and paste-like. At the same time, it should not be crunchy at all. Add more salt, if needed, and serve hot with chapatti or bread.

Notes:

* IF YOU ARE USING A PRESSURE COOKER, PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH THE COOKER. IT CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IF NOT USED PROPERLY! My recipe instructions are written with the assumption that you know how to use one and this blog is not responsible for your use of a pressure cooker. Every cooker has a slightly different cooking time, and water absorption. If there isn't enough water in the cooker, your dal will burn and cleaning that cooker is a pain in the backside!