Hearty and comforting Indian dal with shallots.
Many might not usually think about using shallots as a vegetable, but I am sure everyone would agree that it is flavorful and nuanced in taste than onions. It adds a more subtle, sweet aromatic flavor to dal, stews, and salad dressings or even for savories like bacon onion bun or paneer bun. They are a bit more expensive than onions but surely worth every penny. I even have shallots roasted with some veggies, or cooking shallots by tossing them with extra virgin oil and grilling them. You can always even roast them in an oven. If you substitute in most dishes by substituting shallots than onion, you would surely know the meaning of the delicious ingredient.
I make dal always at least once in a week. But I really do not take pictures of it as it will be very late for me for have the food. I always feel it is delicious and comfort food. And also it is very healthy. Dal can be made in different ways using different dal like Normal simple dal, dal tadka, dal fry using different dal. I really love to make dal because it is simple and very comforting food. I make sure I make them once in a week at least. I usually make them on a weekday because it just takes 10 minutes for me in a kitchen. I pressure cook them, meanwhile I chop some veggies for side dish. You can replace the dal with any dal you want. the idea is to make using three dal/lentils. I made this with cabbage peas curry. I usually make my dal with potato roast as sides. I have a collection of mouthwatering potato recipes that you need to try.
Vegan Note: use any oil in this recipe instead of ghee.
My other Favorite Dal recipes: Lasooni Dal Tadka/ Garlic Tempered Lentils, Trevti dal/ Three Lentil dal, Gujarati Surati dal/ Peanut Tomato Lentil Recipe, Chana dal Paratha/ stuffed Lentil Paratha, Tomato dal Rasam/ Tomato Soup, Indian Style Lentils/ South Indian sambar, Bisibelabath/Hot spicy lentil Rice, crunchy lentil nuggets/Uppu seedai, spinach with lentils/ Keerai Moolagootal.
- • Tuvar dal/pigeon pea lentils – 1 cup
- • Green chillies – 3, chopped roughly
- • Turmeric – 1 tsp
- • Tomato – 1, chopped finely
- • Salt – as needed (around 1 tbsp)
- • Water – 3 cups for pressure-cooking the lentils
- [For tempering]
- • Ghee /oil – 3 tbsp (mix of both)
- • Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- • Garlic – 4, chopped
- • Ginger- 2 inch, julienne or grated cut
- • Red chilli – 2, broken
- • Asafetida/hing – pinch
- • Shallots – 8, skin removed
- • Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
- • Amchur powder – 1 tsp
- • Sugar – a pinch
- • Dry methi leaves – ½ tbsp, crushed
- • Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp finely chopped for garnish
- • Lemon – squeeze a little for garnish
- Add washed tuvar dal, tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric and salt in the pressure cooker with water.Pressure-cook the lentils for 5-6 whistles till you get a mashable smooth consistency.
- Meanwhile in a small sauce pan, heat up the ghee or oil in medium-low flame. Add the cumin seeds, when it crackles, add the whole red chillies, shallots,sugar, garlic, ginger, curry leaves and let them cook in low –medium flame till the shallots gets roasted or caramelized. Turn off the heat and add the red chilli powder, dry methi leaves, asafoetida and amchur powder.
- When it’s pressure-cooked, open the cooker and check if the consistency is good. If not mash it, add little water and boil for two minutes. Or leave it.
- Add the tempering of shallots to the pressure cooked lentils.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and squeeze lemon. Check for salt and serve this shallot dal hot with steamed rice and a potato fry. You can also serve this with rotis/naan.
2. Hing or asafetida is a strong, aromatic spice. It gives unique flavor to daal. But it is optional.
3. If you do not have a pressure cooker, us a heavy bottomed pot with lid and cook for aroung 30-40 minutes in medium low flame.
Taste great with Breads like paratha, or with rice and dry curry/stir fry or simple exotic potato roast sides.
