Simple Daal Fry RCI -PUNJAB

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Punjabi food! The very name brings back so many memories!!! Childhood memories, my very first introduction to 'different' food! Eating out was Idlis, Dosas for a very long time, but very slowly this new taste had me hooked! The spice, the taste and the nice way of camouflaging vegetables in a gravy that made it so delectable!! I ate vegetables that I would stubbornly push aside at home (barring the eggplant, which I still refuse to eat). Even the paratha was SO MUCH better than the usual 'poli' - the charm of eating out!!!

So far it was just Paratha and 'Green'bhaji.. (Alu Palak) and Chana Masala.. standard fare, no changes! Till one day..one day I wanted to pig out... I mean... eat Punjabi food, but had mouth ulcers (I can only say only this, in my defense...lalach bahut buri cheez hai... I ate!!) so saying no to the vegetables I opted for, what , in my opinion..then, was the boring Daal Fry. Oh Boy!!! was I wrong!!!!! and was I glad I did!!! Dunking the paratha in the daal and eating it was sooooooo nice!

That, this seemingly unobtrusive looking daal could taste so heavenly was a revelation to me! I, in fact was completely unaware of anything in the daal types, that tasted like this! Surprised? so was I... especially since I had grown up tasting only varan, amti and sambar!

Years later when I attended a cooking class, I learnt how to make Daal Fry, which ever since has regularly graced our dining table.

The first time I cooked (after marriage) at my new home, I made Daal Fry and Fulkas, and my little niece,S, liked the taste very much, I still remember her proclaiming that it was the best daal in the... Universe!!! My father (in Law) called up my parents and told them that they had not exaggerated when they said I could cook (you know how it is in the arranged marriage scenario!!!) !!! My Mother (in law) also appreciated the taste, that was a huge compliment coming from someone who is an amazing cook herself!! Do you now wonder why I love making daal fry so much!!??!!

Here's how I make it!

1 cup Moong Daal / Toor Daal*

1 tsp Ginger Chopped
1 Green Chilly (+/-to taste)

1 tsp Cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 Onion chopped

1/2 tomato chopped

5-6 coves Garlic (chopped)

1/4 tsp Cumin/ Jeera

1 pinch Red Chilly powder

1 pinch Pepper powder

2 pinches Amchur powder / lemon juice

1/4 tsp (or less) Turmeric

Salt to taste

1 tbsp Butter / oil/ ghee (traditionally, ghee is used)

There are two ways one can make this

Method 1 : The class method

Pressure cook the moong daal. Grind garlic, chillies and cumin.

To the hot daal add chopped onion, tomato and ginger.

Add salt, turmeric, red chilly powder and amchur.

Heat 1 tbsp Ghee / butter, add the paste (ginger-garlic and chillies).

Add this to the daal, mix well, cook thoroughly.Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Method 2:

Pressure cook the daal, mash and keep aside.

Heat Butter/ ghee/ oil . Add cumin seeds.

Add the ginger, garlic and saute for half a minute. Add the chilly.

Next add the onion and saute till they are light brown.

Add the tomatoes and cook till soft and mushy. I add the turmeric at this stage (no particular reason, but my logic- if you can call it that- is I cannot see the onions turn colour if turmeric is added in the initial stage).

Add the mushy daal, if it is too thick, add 1/2 a glass of water. Add the pepper pwd., red chilly pwd. , salt, amchur pwd and bring it to a rolling boil. If using lemon juice, add after switching off the stove.Garnish with cilantro and serve with plain rice / jeera rice/ roti/ paratha/ naan!

*you can use either Moong daal or Toor daal. Moong daal is lighter to digest where as Toor Daal is acidic in nature and can cause a bit of a problem.

This will go to Richa as my contribution for RCI-Punjab. Thank You Richa!!!!

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