Tomato Dahl Dal (Or Mango, or Cucumber, or Lemon, or Spinach)

Name: Tomato Dahl Dal (Or Mango, or Cucumber, or Lemon, or Spinach)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South Asia — Muslim traditions
Ingredients: 1 cup toor dal; 1.25 lb roma tomatoes; 3 green chili peppers; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 2 tsp oil; 1 tbsp mustard seeds; 1 tbsp cumin seed; 2 dried red chilies; 0.125 tsp asafoetida powder; 10 curry leaves

A South Asian dal of lentils, roma tomatoes and red chilies, spiced with chilli and turmeric.

1 hr · Serves 4 · Easy

Method

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Time: Prep 10 min · Cook 50 min · 60 min total
Difficulty: easy

1
Wash dahl 2x. Soak half an hour or so if you want it softer. Add 3 c water. Cook dahl 20-25 minutes over medium heat.
25 min
2
Add diced tomatoes, green chiles, and turmeric. Cook 20 minutes. In a separate pan, heat oil (medium heat). Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chiles, and asafoetida. Mustard seeds will "pop" like popcorn.
20 min
3
Add seed mixture to dahl. Add salt to taste and curry leaves. Cook for 2-3 more minutes. Serve with rice.
4
To make mango dal, cut up 2 green mangoes. Use in place of tomatoes. This makes a sweet dal.
5
To make cucumber dal, peel and cut up 2 cucumbers or Indian cucumbers (dosaki). Use in place of tomatoes.
6
To make lemon dal, do not add a vegetable and add the juice of 2 lemons with salt and curry leaves.
7
To make spinach dal, add 2 c fresh spinach (or frozen spinach) about 10 minutes before cooking is over.
10 min
8
You may have to add a little water with the different types of veggies.