Gujarati daal/Sweet daal

In a typical Gujarati meal, this sweetish daal with a tangy touch is my favourite. There was a time when I found the daal very boring and tried every trick to avoid eating it at home. Like all brats do. Then hostel life happened. And the perspective of home food changed completely. I used to have dreams of home-made daal chaawal.A lot of people like the sweet tasting daal, but for the others it might take a little while to develop a taste for the Gujarati daal, the sweet taste basically. So, here’s the recipe of the traditional Gujarati daal.

Gujarati daal (serves 4)

Ingredients

1. Tuvar daal – 1 cup
2. Jaggery – about the size of a large lemon
3. Kokum – 5
4. Raw groundnuts- 10 to 12
5. Curry leaves
6. One lemon
7. Ginger – small piece, grated
8. Coriander leaves, finely chopped
9. Asafoetida (Hing)
10. Mustard seeds
11. Fenugreek seeds (Methi seeds)
12. Turmeric powder
13. Red chilly powder
14. Coriander powder
15. Bay leaves – 2
16. Dry red chillies – 1
17. Garam masala – 1 tsp
18. Oil for tadka – 2 tsp

Method of preparation

Pressure cook tuvar daal along with peanuts, turmeric powder and salt. After the daal is cooked properly, mash the daal well using a blender and transfer it to a thick bottomed utensil. Add water if required. The consistency should be a little watery compared to say dal fry. Add jaggery and kokum to the daal and let it simmer for about 10 minutes. After the jaggery has dissolved, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. After they crackle, add asafoetida, fenugreek seeds, dry red chillies, bay leaves and curry leaves. Switch off the flame and then add red chilly powder and dhania powder to the tadka. Pour the tadka over the simmering daal and add grated ginger to it. Add finely chopped coriander leaves and squeeze a lemon. Let is simmer for 2-3 more minutes. And the daal is ready! This daal is served piping hot, with fulka rotis and/or rice.

Happy cooking!