Easy Indian Daal Recipe

This is my go-to everyday daal recipe which I make in less than 10 minutes, thanks to my pressure cooker. This is also a much requested recipe from my friends, which I am happy to share with you now.

Daal is comfort food for me. A good daal and rice is all one needs when all other food options fail. This recipe is my go-to recipe for daal mainly because it dosen't involve chopping onions. Yay!

This is a simple Marathi style daal known as Varan where I come from. This daal is so simple and easy to make, that it basically requires no thinking or planning and paired with some hot steamed rice and a some vegetables on the side, this is makes a completely healthy meal, simple (need I say dairy free, nut free, gluten free, vegan meal.)

The best way to cook daal is in the pressure cooker, no Indian home does without a pressure cooker. If you don't have one, then cooking the lentils in a pot can take quite a while.

For this daal recipe, we use yellow Toor daal known as pigeon pea in English, but most India stores and even Coles sell it as Toor daal. You can substitute red lentils or Masoor daal too.

3/4 cup of toor daal (or red lentils)

2 Tomatoes roughly chopped

2 pods of garlic

2 tbs oil or ghee

1/2 tsp of turmeric

1/2 tsp of chili powder or 1 green chili slit

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

8-10 curry leaves

A pinch of asafoetida (optional)

Fresh coriander (cilantro) to garnish

Instructions:

1. Boil the dal along with 3 cups of water, tomatoes, turmeric and chilli powder in the pressure cooker for 10 minutes or in a pot till it is soft and mushy.

2. Once the daal is cooked, heat the oil or ghee in a small pan, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, green chilli, garlic and asafoetida to the hot oil or ghee. Once the mustard starts to pop and garlic is lightly browned pour it into the dal.

3. If the daal is too thick, add a little more water till you get your desired consistency.

4. Garnish with fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves and serve with steamed rice or chapatis.