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Hedden Family Recipes

Masoor dal

Adapted from the recipe of Madhur Jaffrey:

Jaffrey, Madhur. 1973. An Invitation to Indian Cooking, p. 214. New York: Vintage Books. ISBN 0-394-71191-2.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups masoor or arhar (toovar) dal (hulled and split)
  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric powder
  • 3 tablespoons chopped coriander greens (cilantro)
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • Any of the following vegetables, alone or in combination:
    • 3 medium-sized zucchini, washed and sliced in rounds or
    • 2 medium-sized yellow squash, washed and sliced in rounds or
    • ½ pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced or
    • 1 medium-sized eggplant, washed and cut in ¾-inch cubes or
    • Brussels sprouts, cleaned and cut in half
    • 1 medium-sized onion, cut in half, sliced, and sauteed for 5 minutes in 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 tablespoons tamarind paste
  • ½ teaspoon jaggery or sugar
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or usli ghee
  • 10 whole black peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon whole cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon whole black mustard seeds
  • 10 whole fenugreek seeds
  • 10 white urad dal grains (optional)
  • 1-3 whole dried hot red peppers
  • curry leaves (optional)

Directions:

  1. Clean and wash dal.
  2. Put dal in 4-quart heavy-bottomed pot with 6 cups water and bring to boil. If there is any scum, remove it with a spoon. Add the turmeric and chopped coriander greens and cover. Lower heat and simmer gently until tender, about 1½ hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Add the salt, the vegetables you are using, tamarind paste, and jaggery or sugar. Cook another 15 minutes or until vegetable is tender.
  3. In a 4-6-inch skillet, heat the 3 tablespoons of oil or ghee over medium-high heat. When hot, put in the peppercorns, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, urad dal, and lastly the red peppers and curry leaves. When the mustard seeds begin to pop and the fenugreek and red pepper darken (this should take just a few seconds), pour the contents of skillet into the pot containing dal and vegetables. Stir. Cover again and turn off heat.
  4. Serve with plain rice and any meat, chicken, or fish dish of your choice.