Toor Dal (Arhar Dal)
Toor dal (Arhar dal) is the most popular and widely consumed dal
in India and cooked most often in Indian households. This dal is known with many different names in different part of India, like Tuvar dal, Toovar dal.
In Northern part of Indian it is known as yellow dal (peeli dal) or Arhar dal,
Tadka dal and yellow pigeon peas in English. Toor dal is very simple and
nutritious and very easy to cook with simple tempering of cumin seeds and
asafetida. But when you give extra tadka of onion, garlic, tomato and green
chilies it becomes more spicy and flavorful.
Every region in India has its own combination of seasoning and cooking style of cooking Toor dal. The popular south Indian sambhar is cooked with Toor dal. This dal is usually served with chapatti and rice accompanied with a vegetable.
This recipe is North Indian style of making Arhar dal.
in India and cooked most often in Indian households. This dal is known with many different names in different part of India, like Tuvar dal, Toovar dal.
In Northern part of Indian it is known as yellow dal (peeli dal) or Arhar dal,
Tadka dal and yellow pigeon peas in English. Toor dal is very simple and
nutritious and very easy to cook with simple tempering of cumin seeds and
asafetida. But when you give extra tadka of onion, garlic, tomato and green
chilies it becomes more spicy and flavorful.
Every region in India has its own combination of seasoning and cooking style of cooking Toor dal. The popular south Indian sambhar is cooked with Toor dal. This dal is usually served with chapatti and rice accompanied with a vegetable.
This recipe is North Indian style of making Arhar dal.
Ingredients for Dal:
1 Cup Toor Dal
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
4 Cups of water
1 Teaspoon oil
Ingredients Cumin seed Tadka:
1 Teaspoon cumin seeds
1 Pinch of Asafetida
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or Ghee or butter
Ingredients for hot Chili Tadka:
2 Teaspoons crushed red chilies or red Chili powder
2 Tablespoons melted butter or ghee
Serving for 4
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
1 Cup Toor Dal
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder
1 Teaspoon salt or to your taste
4 Cups of water
1 Teaspoon oil
Ingredients Cumin seed Tadka:
1 Teaspoon cumin seeds
1 Pinch of Asafetida
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil or Ghee or butter
Ingredients for hot Chili Tadka:
2 Teaspoons crushed red chilies or red Chili powder
2 Tablespoons melted butter or ghee
Serving for 4
Cooking measurement conversion
Measurement converter
Toor Dal (Arhar Dal)
Ingredients for Dal:
Turmeric powder (Haldi)
Oil
|
Salt
Water
|
Ingredients Cumin seed Tadka:
Cumin seeds (Jeera)
|
Asafetida (Hing)
|
Butter-Melted
|
Ingredients for hot Chili Tadka:
Red chili powder
|
Butter or Ghee
|
Directions for cooking Dal:
1. In a pressure cooker add dal and wash, changing water several times until the
water appears clear and then soak dal in 6 cups of water for 15 to 20 minutes.
1. In a pressure cooker add dal and wash, changing water several times until the
water appears clear and then soak dal in 6 cups of water for 15 to 20 minutes.
In a cooker add Arhar Dal
Wash Arhar Dal (Toor Dal)
Soak Dal in water
2. Once dal is soaked drain all the water out and wash and rinse.
Dal is soaked
Wash and rinse soaked Ahar Dal
Soaked Arhar dal
3. Add 4 cups of water, turmeric powder, salt and 1 teaspoon of oil and mix.
When dal is boiling it create lot of foam and foam comes out from the
pressure cooker to prevent that is a good idea to add little oil.
When dal is boiling it create lot of foam and foam comes out from the
pressure cooker to prevent that is a good idea to add little oil.
Add water in soaked
dal
Add turmeric powder (Haldi)
Mix turmeric powder well
Add salt
Add oil
4. Close the lid of the pressure cooker, place the weight on the lid and cook on
medium high heat.
medium high heat.
Close the pressure cooker
5. In about 8 to 10 minutes pressure cooker will start steaming turn the heat
down and Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the stove off and wait until steam
goes down. Different brand of cooker requires different time to cook.
down and Cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the stove off and wait until steam
goes down. Different brand of cooker requires different time to cook.
6. Open the pressure cooker, turn the stove on to medium heat.
Open the Pressure cooker
7. with the cooking spoon mix dal well so there are no lumps, if the dal is thick
then add more water if it is too watery then cook little longer.
then add more water if it is too watery then cook little longer.
Mix Dal
8. Dal should have some texture so do not overcook it or mash it. (If Dal is
overcooked and become like soup that is fine too and it will still taste good)
overcooked and become like soup that is fine too and it will still taste good)
Arhar Dal has some grain
9. Prepare Cumin seed Tadka. (tadka) see below.
10. Let the dal cook for few minutes then add cumin seed Tadka, cook for another
one minute and turn the stove off or until you have the desired consistency.
10. Let the dal cook for few minutes then add cumin seed Tadka, cook for another
one minute and turn the stove off or until you have the desired consistency.
Add cumin seed tadka
Mix cumin seed tadka
Arhar Dal is cooked (Toor Dal)
11. If you are not serving Dal immediately, as Dal sits it become thicker than
add some water to your desired consistency and heat.
12. When ready to serve, transfer dal in a serving bowl and pour hot chili tadka
over dal.
add some water to your desired consistency and heat.
12. When ready to serve, transfer dal in a serving bowl and pour hot chili tadka
over dal.
Arhar Dal (Toor Dal)
Cumin Seed Tadka: (tadka)
1. In a small pan (tadka pan) add 1 tablespoon oil, cumin seeds and asafetida and
fry them for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat or until cumin seeds become dark
brown, turn the heat off. (You could also use Ghee or butter for making Tadka)
1. In a small pan (tadka pan) add 1 tablespoon oil, cumin seeds and asafetida and
fry them for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat or until cumin seeds become dark
brown, turn the heat off. (You could also use Ghee or butter for making Tadka)
In a pan add oil
Add Asafetida (Hing)
|
Add cumin seeds
Cumin seeds are fried
|
Hot chili tadka: (Hot oil) (tadka)
In a small pan (tadka pan) heat 2 tablespoons ghee or melted butter add crushed
red chilies or red chili powder and fry them on very low heat for 1 to 2 minutes
or until the red chilies fried, turn the heat off.
In a small pan (tadka pan) heat 2 tablespoons ghee or melted butter add crushed
red chilies or red chili powder and fry them on very low heat for 1 to 2 minutes
or until the red chilies fried, turn the heat off.
In a pan add butter or Ghee
|
Add chili powder or crushed pepper & fry
|
Variation
Most of the time in North India Toor dal is tempered with cumin seed tadka, since Dal is the part of everyday meal some time little variation is required to make the meal tasty. By adding onion tadka to dal you can make this simple dal little spice and flavorful.
Masala Tadka dal
Directions for onion tadka: ( See tadka)
Ingredients:
1 Medium onion- chopped
1 Teaspoon minced garlic
1 Medium ripe tomato- chopped into small pieces
1 Medium green chili - chopped
2 Tablespoons coriander leaves chopped
1 Tablespoons vegetable oil (or butter or ghee)
1. Heat small frying pan, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, chopped onions and
minced garlic and sauté them on medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until
onions become light brown, while frequently stirring them.
2. Add chopped tomatoes, and chopped green chilies and cook, with the spatula
try to mash the tomatoes so that they become soft quickly, in 5 to 6 minutes
tomatoes will become soft and blend with onions. Turn the stove off.
3. Once you prepare the dal add onion tadka, mix it well and let the dal cook
for 5 minutes. Add more water if needed. Add cumin seed tadka and chopped
coriander leaves, and cook for one miunte or utill you have desired constancy
turn the stove off.
4. When ready to serve, transfer dal in a serving bowl and pour hot chili tadka
over dal.
minced garlic and sauté them on medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until
onions become light brown, while frequently stirring them.
2. Add chopped tomatoes, and chopped green chilies and cook, with the spatula
try to mash the tomatoes so that they become soft quickly, in 5 to 6 minutes
tomatoes will become soft and blend with onions. Turn the stove off.
3. Once you prepare the dal add onion tadka, mix it well and let the dal cook
for 5 minutes. Add more water if needed. Add cumin seed tadka and chopped
coriander leaves, and cook for one miunte or utill you have desired constancy
turn the stove off.
4. When ready to serve, transfer dal in a serving bowl and pour hot chili tadka
over dal.
Add onion, tomato tadka and mix
|
Add cumin seed tadka and mix
|
Sprinkle coriander leaves and mix
|
Masala tadka Dal
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Tips:
Cook dal in pressure cooker otherwise it takes too long to cook dal.
Cook dal in pressure cooker otherwise it takes too long to cook dal.
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.
Thank you
Geeta Seth
Other recipe:
Toor Dal and rice khichdi Chana dal
(Arhar dal with rice khicdi)
Moong dal
Urad dal
Masoor dal Trevti dal
Moong dal and rice khichdi Muttar pulao (Rice with green peas)
Sambhar Chapatti (Pulkha or roti)
Boiled white rice Lachha roti (Spiral layered roti)
Toor Dal and rice khichdi Chana dal
(Arhar dal with rice khicdi)
Moong dal
Urad dal
Masoor dal Trevti dal
Moong dal and rice khichdi Muttar pulao (Rice with green peas)
Sambhar Chapatti (Pulkha or roti)
Boiled white rice Lachha roti (Spiral layered roti)
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