This dish can be either made with toor dhal or chana dhal. But toor dhal gives a nice flavor and aroma. Also instead of frying the toor dhal, it can be boiled until all the water is completely absorbed and then mashed and made into balls.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup toor dhal
- Canola oil for frying
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seed
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek (methi) seeds
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- ½ cup red onion sliced
- 2 – 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 strand curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon Jaffna chili powder
- 2 cups water
- ¼ cup coconut milk or 2% milk
- ¼ teaspoon tamarind paste/concentrate
- Salt to taste
Method
- Soak toor dhal for about 2 – 2½ hours
- Add a little bit salt and grind toor dhal coarsely in a food processor
- Heat oil in a frying pan and drop a spoonful (teaspoon) into the oil and fry until crispy and golden brown
- Drain on paper towel
- In a covered saucepan, add 1 teaspoon canola oil and add mustard seeds
- When the mustard seed start splattering add fenugreek seeds and fry for about 30 seconds. Add onion, garlic and fry until onion turns golden brown
- Add curry leaves and fry for another minute or two
- Add fried toor dhal, water, salt, chilipowder, tamarind, coconut milk (**if using normal 2% milk do not add now) to the saucepan and bring to a boil
- Cover saucepan and cook for about 10 – 12 minutes (gravy will become a bit thick)
- ** If using 2% milk add it now and boil for another 3 – 4 minutes in a low flame
- Serve with pittu, idiyappam (stringhoppers) or rice
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