Ginger- Tomato Spiced Dalitoy (Tuvar Dal).

“Ginger- Tomato Spiced Dalitoy (Tuvar Dal)” … simple my style spiced dalitoy/ dal with addition of various spices … taste great when you serve with rice or with mildly spiced rice dishes … Yummilicious …

** A simple dal prepared regularly especially if I have kept the other dishes simple. A spiced dal with addition of tomatoes tastes great as it is served with rice with a dash of pickle and bhaji. Summer is the month when due to heavy heat outside the body does not desire heavy food and is always full due to consumption of liquids be it juices or water. Try this aromatic dal served with rice when you want to keep you diet simple, it really satisfies the tastebuds.

** Here is my simple recipe for “Ginger- Tomato Spiced Dalitoy (Tuvar Dal)” … My style which we love to have with rice during summer days …

** Wash one cup of tori dali (tur/tuvar dal) in plenty of water well, then drain off all the water and put it in pressure cooker along with 3 cups of water and pressure cook on medium to low heat for 3-4 whistle or till cooked soft and mushy.

** Let the pressure in the cooker fall itself and then open the lid and add the cooked dal into a thick bottomed stainless steel vessel, once again mash very well with a beater/ churner to a smooth paste adding another 2-3 cups of water.

** Bring dal to heat on medium heat stirring often to avoid it sticking to bottom. Once it comes boils, lower the heat to medium and then add in 8-10 green chillies (tarni mirsanga/ hari mirchi) cut lengthwise, grated or finely chopped 1 inch piece of ginger (alle’/ adrak).

** Add in 1-2 tomatoes cut into small pieces along with salt (namak/ meeta) to taste, a large pinch each of methi (fenugreek) powder and saunf (badisep/ fennel) powder and mix well. If you do not have methi and saunf powder, you can coarsely crush them and add on or leave it out too. I have added as I like the flavor, the choice is yours.

** Tempering/ Seasoning : Heat 1 tblsp of ghee/ toop along with 2 tsp of coconut oil (nariyal tel), when hot lower the heat and add in ½ tsp of mustard seeds (sasam/ rai) when it splutters add in ½ tps jeera (cumin seeds), ½ - 1 tsp hing (asafoetida) powder, 1/4 tsp of haldi (turmeric) powder and 8-10 fresh curry leaves (kadipatta/ karbevu).

** Fry the above for a few second and immediately pour over the simmering dal, add handful of fresh coriander leaves (kottambari pallo/ dhania) chopped fine (I did not add as I did not have any). Cover with a lid and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes for the flavors to seep in. 

** Lastly just before serving the dal add in the juice of one freshly squeezed lemon (nimboo/ limbiyo/ nimbe hannu), mix well and its ready to be served. You can avoid adding it directly to dal and cut the lemon into wedges of 4-6 pieces depending upon the size of the lemon and serve it along with rice, so that it remains a choice to individuals to be added on as much as required on or can leave out the same too, if they do not like it. 

** “Ginger- Tomato Spiced Dalitoy (Tuvar Dal)” is done and ready to be served. Always serve the dal steaming hot with rice and other side dishes. This Dal is spiced well and also includes tomatoes which is a veggie too, so it tastes great as it is with rice and really does not need anything more than a little bit of pickle and a simple veg. bhaji. If desired you can serve a roasted papad along with it and a scrumptious meal is ready to be served, that’s what I did, you may check my next thali post for the same, it looks and tastes wonderful keeping you light and energetic too.