Mixed Lentils Dal

Every region of India has its own version of dal (lentil soup). Red lentils are easy to work with and hence I picked them as the main ingredient for this recipe. Along with being a rich source of proteins, they cook quickly and hence fit well in routine cooking. For different textures, I used a medley of three dals in this recipe – chana dal, moong dal and masoor dal (red lentils). When you mix these dals with the trademark Indian spices and flavored tempering, what you get is a mouthwatering ‘Mixed Lentils Dal’.
Recipe Details :
Serves: 3-4 pax
Time: 40 mins
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients :

• 3/4 cup red lentils/masoor dal
• 2 tbsp moong dal
• 2 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 big tomato, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 dried red chillies
• 2 tsp ginger, finely chopped or grated
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt to taste
• 3-4 curry leaves for garnish
• 2 tsp of lemon juice (optional)

• Wash and soak the three dals together in warm water for at least 15 mins.
• Pressure cook these dals in a cooker for two whistles on medium flame.
• In a vessel, take oil and heat it on low flame. Add the cumin seeds and wait for them to splutter.
• Now add the dry red chillies and saute them for 30 secs. Then add green chillies, ginger, tomatoes and salt. Cook the tomatoes till they become soft.
• Then add the coriander powder and turmeric powder and mix them well.
• Now add the pressure cooked dal to this tempering and add 2 cups of water. Cook this dal for 7 mins on low flame.
• Switch off the flame and let it cool for 5-7 mins. Then add lemon juice and garnish with curry leaves. Serve hot with rice or roti and some pickle.

Tips:

• Soak the dals for at least 15 minutes in warm water. The longer you soak them, the faster they will cook.
• While cooking the dal, add or reduce the amount of water to bring it to the consistency you like.