Moong Daal

This is a daal not frequently seen in restaurants. Its served a little runny and has a buttery rich flavour. Daals are sometimes seen as a side dish but this is often served as a main. Nothing fancy, chapatis or plain boiled basmati rice.

Ingredients:

For the daal:
3/4 cup moong dal (split and skinless moong beans)
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 medium size tomato chopped
1 tsp ginger paste
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/3 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 cups water
1 tsp salt

For the tarka
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 or 4 cloves garlic julienned
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 or 2 green chilli
1 tbs oil 1 tbs butter

Method

Soak the daal for 2 hours in cold water and rinse and drain

Add all the ingredients in the daal section except salt in a pressure cooker.

Stir and pressure cook till the daal is soft. I do this by bringing up the pressure till it starts to whistle then cook for 10m minutes. The allow the pressure to drop naturally. Open the lid and check the daal. You can judge if it needs to go on for another cycle. If you have no pressure cooker then just simmer until cooked. There should be no bite in the daal beans.

Add water if needed. Add the salt Simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan
Add the cumin seeds the cumin seeds. Fry for about a minute
Add the garlic and fry for 3 or 4 mintes but watch the garlic does not brown
Add the chilli flakes and chilli and fry for 1 minute
Add the garam masala, stir and then immediately pour into the daal