Ingredients (12)
- 2 cups of masoor dal/lentils
- two pods of garlic, peeled and diced
- one onion, peeled and cut
- 1/2 tbsp of mustard seeds
- 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 1/2 tbsp of fennel
- 1/2 tsp of turmeric (haldi) powder
- salt
- 2 tbsp of coconut milk (can be substituted with cow milk) -- not a must
- 5 dried red chillies, broken into pieces -- not a must
- ten curry leaves -- not a must
- salt
This is an almost-must dish in any South Indian/Tamil vegetarian meal. It is not spicy, and is very versatile, which can be used as a side dish for rice, bread, dosa, naan/rotti, idli etc. It is split beans and is red/pink in colour, but changes to yellow when cooked.
Instructions
- 1Wash the dhal well, place it in a pot, add three cups of water and let it boil. When it is 75 percent cooked (this is when the red/pink lentils turn into yellow and it is almost soft), add the garlic. If all water has been absorbed, add more.
- 2Once the lentils are soft, but not mushy, remove from pan.
- 3Take another pan, and heat the oil. When it is fully hot, add the mustard seeds.
- 4The mustard seeds should pop. then add fennel.
- 5Add onions.
- 6Add curry leaves (you will start feeling the aroma). Stir
- 7Add red chillies and stir. Chillies should become crispy but not burnt.
- 8Add turmeric powder and stir.
- 9Shut the flames and add the mixture to the dal in the second pot. With a big ladle, add some of the dal in the pot to the pan. Enjoy the sizzling. Add that mixture to the dal.
- 10Boil the dal in low flame; add coconut milk and salt to taste.
- 11Enjoy.
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