Da(a)l mein kuch kaala hain!

                        Tomato Dal aka Tomato pappu/Tomato with lentils

One of the most healthiest of all the lots, lentils. Dal is a basic staple for every Indian home. A meal is incomplete without it. I have my own stories of how I disliked it as a kid considering the different types ( read add anything and everything to it) they make at my place. A lot of drama to avoid it. Its only when I started getting aware of the good nutrition value and its benefits, I started to relish it. I started liking the same stuff I used to hate. I add any green leaf I find in the market, I remember adding the fresh carrot leaves I got from the Farmer's market. It was not bad. Since, this is one of my husband's favorite dish too, I started making it more often, specially with tomato. I have tried different recipes, pressure cook, just stove top etc.  but then gave in to the good ole recipe my mom gave me. How wonderful are mothers? Love them. 

Serves: 2

Prep time: 30 mins

Ingredients: 

Toor dal/yellow lentil: 1/2 cup

Tomatoes: 3 big ( the more the better) sliced

Chillies (green) : 4 

Onion: half, sliced

Tamarind: 1/2 tsp pulp

Seasoning aka tadka:

Mustard: 1/2 tsp

Jeera: 1/2 tsp

Hing: a hint

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Red chillies: 4-5 

Garlic: 4-5 thinly sliced

Other: 

Salt

Water 

Turmeric 

Prep/Cooking:

Wash the dal thoroughly till you see clear water running. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles depending on the consistency you want. If you cook for 3 whistles, dont forget to mash the dal, otherwise it remains flakey.

Meanwhile, take a deep bottomed pan, add oil and heat in medium flame. Add onions, fry for a min. Then add tomatoes to it and let it cook with lid on. Once, the water release from the tomato, add salt and turmeric. Stir for a min or so, and then add the pressure cooked dal. Mix well, add water depending on how you want to eat, like a soup or mix with rice. Let it simmer for about 5 -10 minutes and then add the tamarind pulp. Check for taste. Lower the flame. 

In a separate seasoning pan, add some oil and let it heat really well. Once hot, add mustard seeds first. When you hear them splutter, add red chillies, then curry leaves and in the end Jeera. Let it be in the pan for about 10 secs, make sure the jeera does not burn. Add hing and garlic. Give it a stir and add it to the dal in the pan. Mix the dal well. Take some dal and add it to the seasoning pan, it ensure that you have got all the seasoning flavor stuck to the pan. Close the lid and put it aside. 

It goes well with rotis, rice and even as a simple soup. Hearty. 

Bon Appetit!