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Gujarati Khatti Meethi Dal

A Gujarati staple- flavourfully balanced sweet, sour and spicy dal.
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time40 mins
Course: Lentis
Cuisine: Gujarati
Servings: 4

Ingredients

for cooking dal

  • ½ cup Toor Dal/ Pigeon Peas
  • 2 to 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon ginger green chili paste
  • 2 tablespoons peanuts
  • 1 to 1.5 cups water to be added later
  • 2 tablespoons organic jaggery powder or grated jaggery
  • 3 to 4 pieces dried kokum
  • salt as required

for tempering

  • 1.5 tablespoons ghee
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 2 to 3 small dry red chilies
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 pinch asafoetida

Instructions

for cooking dal

  • Rinse the lentils thoroughly in running water 2 to 3 times.
  • Add the dal in a pressure cooker along with 2 to 2.5 cups water, turmeric, ginger-green chili paste and peanuts.
  • Pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes on a medium flame till the dal has turned mushy and cooked very well.
  • Mash the dal with a wooden spoon. Then add 1 to 1.5 cups water to the dal.
  • Add the jaggery powder, kokum and salt and simmer the dal for 7 to 8 minutes on a low to medium flame.

for tempering dal

  • For the tempering, heat the ghee in a small pan. Crackle the mustard seeds first.
  • Then add the cumin and fenugreek seeds and fry till they are browned - just a few seconds.
  • Then add the curry leaves, red chilies, cloves, cinnamon and asafoetida.
  • Stir and fry for some seconds. Pour this tempering on the simmering dal. Mix and continue to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes more.
  • Garnish the dal with coriander leaves if you prefer.
  • Serve the Gujarati khatti meethi dal with steamed rice and dollop of ghee.

Notes

In the absence of kokum, add about 1 tbsp lemon juice to the dal. Add the lemon juice towards the end once the dal is done and then give a stir.