Yellow Tarka Dal Food

YELLOW DAAL TADKA

Steps:

• Wash lentils in running water until water runs clear. Then boil with 3 cups of fresh batch of water and 1/2 tsp salt until lentils are very tender or done to your preference. (15-20 minutes). Boil on low-medium heat as yellow lentils tend to boil-over very quickly.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in pan, add half of cumin seeds (these should start sputtering), add onion and fry until light brown in color (4-5 minutes). Now, add ginger, garlic, green chilies. Fry for 2 minutes.
• Now add grated tomatoes and fry until oil separates. Add turmeric and half teaspoon of red chili powder and fry for 30 seconds.
• Mix daal/lentils in the fried mixture. Cook for 1-2 minute at low heat.
• Turn off the heat. Remove lentils in a bowl. Whip the pan clean, heat up remaining oil. When oil is hot, add in cumin seeds and remaining chili powder. Fry for 20 seconds then pour over daal. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot. Enjoy!

DAL TADKA (YELLOW DAL) RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse toor dal, chana dal and masoor dal in water and add them into 3-5 liter capacity steel or aluminum pressure cooker. Add 2-cups water and salt and pressure cook for 4-whistles over medium flame. Turn off flame and allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the lid and keep the cooked dal aside.
• Heat 2-teaspoons ghee/oil in a pan. Add sliced onion and sauté until it turns light brown. Add crushed ginger-garlic and chopped green chilli and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Make sure, garlic does not turn dark brown.
• Add chopped tomato and sauté until it turns soft.
• Add and mix turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
• Add cooked dal and mix well.
• Add 1-cup water and stir to mix. Taste for the seasoning and add salt accordingly.
• Cook on medium flame until you get the desired consistency of dal or for approx. 5-6 minutes, stir multiple times in-between. Remove it from flame and transfer into a large serving bowl.
• Prepare the tempering by heating 2-teaspoons ghee in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle. Add chopped garlic, dry red chillies and asafoetida, mix well and allow garlic to turn light brown.
• Remove pan from flame and pour prepared tempering over cooked dal in a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice.

EVERYDAY YELLOW DAL

Steps:

• To make the dal, in a medium heavy saucepan, cover the dal with water. Swish the lentils around with your hand, then drain the water through a fine-mesh sieve. Return any dal from the sieve to the saucepan and repeat, washing, agitating, and draining, until the water runs absolutely clear. It will probably take 7 to 10 changes of water. Pour the 3 cups (710 ml) of water into the pot to cover the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skim any scum that rises to the surface, then lower the heat to maintain a simmer. Add the turmeric and cook until the dal is quite creamy, 45 to 60 minutes. Stir the dal regularly as it simmers or it can catch at the bottom of the pan and burn. If the dal starts to look dry before the lentils are cooked, add hot water (from the tap is fine). Season well with salt.
• About 20 minutes before the dal is done, make the tarka. Melt the ghee over low heat. Fry the cumin seeds for maybe 1 minute, until sizzling and fragrant. Add the onion and chile and cook, stirring, until the onion is very soft and translucent, 15 minutes. When the dal is ready, tip the tarka over the dal, stir to partially combine, then sprinkle the cilantro on top. Serve right away with lime wedges and naan or over rice.
• For the Tomato Tarka Variation:
• Melt 3 tablespoons ghee over low heat, then add 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds. Fry for 1 minute. Add 1 minced onion and 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often. Scrape in 1 teaspoon grated ginger and cook to take away some of its rawness, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 small tomatoes that have been diced, 1 or 2 green chiles split lengthwise, and 2 curry leaves (optional). Fry until the tomato starts to break up, 5 to 7 minutes more. Stir most of the mixture into the cooked dal and let simmer for 5 minutes. Check for seasoning, then tip the remaining tarka over the dal. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

TARKA DAL

Steps:

• Rinse lentils in a strainer using cold water. Pick-over and discard any bad looking lentils. Then place them in a bowl and cover with cold water to soak for half an hour.Drain in the strainer and set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large frypan over a medium heat. Add half the mustard seeds and half the cumin seeds. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until they start popping.
• Add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves and half the onion. Stir until soft- about 8 minutes.
• Add the tomato, cashews, turmeric, garam marsala, ground chilli, ground coriander and the vegetable stock. Stir occasionally until thick- roughly 5 minutes.
• Add lentils and enough water to cover the lentils (about 1.5 litres). Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to low. Stir occasionally until the lentils are cooked through and tender - about 1/2 hour.
• In a seperate pan- heat the ghee and add the remaining spices. Stir for a couple of minutes, until fragrant. Add the remaining onion and stir until the onion is golden.
• Combine the onion mix with the lentil mix.
• Add the cream bring to the boil.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve sprinkle chopped coriander over the top.

TARKA DAL

Steps:

• Put the lentils and water into a pan, stir well and bring to the boil. Skim off any froth that forms on the surface of the water with a spoon. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, stirring regularly, for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender, adding more water as necessary.
• When the lentils have cooked through, remove the pan from the heat, and use a whisk to break down the lentils. Set the mixture aside to thicken and cool.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and fry for 20 to 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the onion, chiles, and ginger, and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
• Blend the garlic and tomatoes to a puree in a food processor. Add the puree to the pan, and stir well to combine. Add the turmeric, garam masala, coriander, and 3 1/2 ounces of water to the pan, and stir well to combine. Season the mixture with salt, to taste, and simmer over a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the oil from the sauce has risen to the surface of the sauce.
• Add the cooked lentils to the sauce, and stir well, adding more water as necessary, to loosen the mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, and season, to taste, with salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the chopped cilantro just before serving.

TARKA DHAL

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils several times until the water runs clear, then tip into a saucepan with 1 litre water and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 mins, skimming the froth from the top. Cover with a lid and cook for a further 40 mins, stirring occasionally, until it's a thick, soupy consistency.
• While the lentils are cooking, heat the ghee or oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, then fry the onion and garlic until the onion is softened, so around 8 mins. Add the turmeric and garam masala, then cook for a further minute. Set aside.
• Tip the lentils into bowls and spoon half the onion mixture on top. Top with the coriander and tomato to serve.