Tarka Daal
Ingredients
- 160 grams Masoor Daal (red split lentils)
- 100 grams Moong Daal (small split yellow lentils)
- 1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 2 green birdseye chillies, finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp red chilli powder to taste
- 1 tsp ground coriander powder
- 750 ml water
Tarka
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil (or olive oil)
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tomato, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp curry leaves optional
Garnish
- 3 tbsp finely chopped coriander
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (1/2 lemon juiced)
Instructions
- First wash the lentils thoroughly in a bowl, make sure the water runs clear before cooking.
- You can choose either to cook the lentils in the pressure cooker to in a sauce pan. Both sets of instructions are below. Choose the one which you find more convenient.
Cooking in pressure cooker
- Next add the water, both lentils, ginger, garlic, turmeric, green chillies, salt, red chilli powder and ground coriander to a pressure cooker. Stir through, cover with the lid and bring the heat up on the hob up the highest setting and wait for the pressure to build up and the steam to start hissing from the pressure cooker.
- Once the steam starts to hiss from the pressure cooker, turn the heat down slightly and let the lentils cook for 7 minutes.
- Allow the steam to release from the pressure cooker, remove the lid and stir through the lentils. If they are quite dry, you can add more water at this point.
Cooking in saucepan
- Next add the water, both lentils, ginger, garlic, turmeric, green chillies, salt, red chilli powder and ground coriander to the sauce pan. Stir through, cover with the lid and bring the heat on the hob to medium heat and let the lentils cook for around 20 minutes, until soft.
- Keep stirring at intervals and add more water if the lentils are starting to dry out.
Tarka
- Whilst the lentils are cooking, start on the tarka. In a separate pan, add the oil, onion, tomato and cumin seeds (curry leaves optional). Cook on medium heat until the onions starts to lightly brown, this should take around 4 minutes.
- Add the tarka to the daal and stir through.
- Garnish with fresh coriander and lemon juice and serve with basmati rice or chapatis or paratha
