Tomato Dal
A simple, tasty Tomato Dal that is easy and quick and perfect for weeknight dinner. Serve with rice or roti. Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free and nut-free recipe.
Servings: 8
Calories: 87kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas, dry)
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil or any neutral oil
- A pinch asafetida or hing (hing)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 tablespoon ginger (grated)
- 3 large tomatoes (diced)
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (or paprika for less heat)
- 1 tablespoon sambar powder
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Cook the dal, either in a pressure cooker for three whistles, or you can do this in a saucepan --use enough water to cover the lentils by two inches. Bring to a boil, cover, lower the heat to a simmer and continue cooking 20-40 minutes or until the dal is very tender. Add more water if needed to the pot. when the dal is cooked, whisk to make it creamy or give it a whirl in the blender. Set aside.(If you don't have a cooker that whistles, cook the lentils for 5 minutes after reaching full pressure or follow manufacturer instructions for your pressure cooker. You can also cook for 10 minutes in the Instant Pot.)
- Heat the oil in a saucepan.
- Add the asafetida and cumin seeds. When the cumin sputters, add the curry leaves and onion and saute on a medium flame until the onions turn translucent.
- Add the ginger and stir for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes along with the turmeric, cayenne or paprika, coriander powder and sambar powder and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes turn mushy and start breaking down.
- Add the cooked dal and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer on low heat for about 10 minutes until the flavors have merged. Add water if the dal gets too thick.
- Garnish with cilantro, if desired, and serve piping hot.
Nutrition
Calories: 87kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 199mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 689IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 1mg