Gujarati Toor Dal (ગુજરાતી દાળ)
A signature sweet-sour-spicy toor dal with jaggery, kokum, peanuts, and a ghee tempering — the gentle backbone of a Gujarati meal.
Cuisine: Gujarati (Gujarat) · Style: Curry · Protein: Lentils · Total time: · Difficulty: easy · Servings: 4 · Spice: 2/5
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal
- 4 cups water
- 2 tbsp raw peanuts
- 1 tbsp jaggery
- 1 tbsp lemon juice or 2 kokum petals
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp coriander-cumin powder
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 cloves
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 1 dried red chilli
- 8 curry leaves
- A pinch of asafoetida
- Fresh coriander to garnish
- Salt to taste
Steps
- Pressure cook toor dal with peanuts, turmeric, and water for 3-4 whistles until very soft.
- Whisk the cooked dal smooth and add tomato, jaggery, kokum, ginger-chilli paste, coriander-cumin powder, and salt.
- Simmer for 10-12 minutes until well blended.
- Heat ghee in a small pan and splutter mustard seeds, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, red chilli, curry leaves, and asafoetida.
- Pour the tempering over the dal.
- Finish with lemon juice (if not using kokum) and coriander.
- Serve with steamed rice and a side of sabzi.