Gluten-Free adaptable.

My MaaIl- a self-taught cook with tastes buds of a queen, she was oh so particular but at the same time so adventurous in the kitchen, until it came to Dar jo shaak/Dhal. I often heard her say: “If I don’t have limro (curry leaves), I can’t cook dar.” She would slightly crush the leaves to release the fragrance and if they lived up to her sniff test, in her dhal they went.

A friend recently asked me to cook ‘khoja style dal’, and while the prejudice is unfortunate, dhal is dhal right you say? Not really, I often get asked to cook the “gujarati dar”.  

There are more than a thousand ways to cook dhal from India to the Middle East, just about every North Indian, Hyderabadi, Parsi to Gujarati’s have some form of dhal that distinguishes their cooking. The latter, in my biased opinion, makes wonderful sweet-sour-spicy dal that is part of our weekly diet. 

Unlike the Gujarati dal which is sweetened with jaggery and gets it sourness from Kokum, both of which also give it a rich brown color, and that occasional cilantro speckled peanut as you bite into a spoonful of rice and dhal, my Maail’s dhal is scented with fragrant curry leaves and nutty fenugreek seeds, with bites of potatoes, luxuriously rich and decadent tasting, I can promise it’ll warm and comfort your belly on a chilly day! 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Toovar Dal/ split pigeon peas  ( Oiled is better)
• 1.5 tablespoons oil
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds/rai
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds/methi
• 1 stalk/ 8 curry leaves
• 1/2 medium onion diced (optional)
• 3 hot Thai green chilis- ground
• 1 large tomato chopped. 3 hot Thai green chilis- ground
• 1 teaspoon ginger paste
• 2 teaspoon garlic paste 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon dhana jeera powder (Coriander-Cumin Powder)
• 1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)
• 2 medium potatoes cubed
• Finely chopped cilantro for garnish
• 2 cups water
  
  Instructions:

Cook the Toovar Dar in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker.

1. Wash and rinse the dal, then soak it for 10 mins.  Transfer to the Instant Pot, add 1.5 cups of water, ½ tsp. salt and a pinch of turmeric powder and Pressure Cook High mode for 12 minutes or use the “Multigrain” function and cook for 10 minutes. 
   
2. Heat a pot over medium high heat and add the oil, once it is heated, add the clove and cinnamon, then add the asafoetida and cumin, mustard and fenugreek seeds.
   
3. Once seeds pop, add the diced onions, pinch of salt and cook until onions are just translucent then add the curry leaves.
   
4. Add the ginger-garlic and green chili pastes and sauté.
   
5. Add the tomatoes, followed by coriander- cumin powder, turmeric powder and remainder of the salt – and once the tomato paste is cooked – about 6-8 minutes.
   
6. Add the cooked dal from the instant pot plus 1 additional cup of water and the cubed potatoes. * You can strain the dal for a smoother consistency or whisk it for a grainy texture.
   
7. Slow simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and the Dal has thickened. 
   

Add cilantro and serve hot!

Notes:

as always omit Aasafoetida to make this Gluten-Free.