Gujarati Daal ગુજરાતી દાળ
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Gujarati, Indian
Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
This very unique dish constitutes the liquid part of a complete Gujarati meal. One can eat it with rotlis and shaaks and then as per Gujarati custom, the left over daal can be eaten mixed with plain rice and/or joghurt or raita. It can be prepared much earlier, and the longer it is simmered the better will be the taste. Left-over daal can always be frozen for upto 3 months. Remeber it will taste spicier!
Also this daal is always served with freshly roasted papad. In the picture I have two types, the greenish one is with garlic and the other one is black pepper papad. Courtesy of Lalitaba's parcel from Anand, Gujarat.
Print Recipe
- 1 Cups Tuver daal Soaked in cold water for at least 3 hours
- 2 Tbsp Channa daal Soaked in cold water like above
- 2 Tbsp Vegetable oil For vaghaar
- 2 Tsp Rai Mustard seeds
- Half Tsp Methi seeds Fenugreek
- 1 Tsp Green chillies Ground to paste
- 2 Tsp Ginger Ground to paste
- 1 Small Dried red chilli Optional
- Pinch Hing Asafoetida
- 1 Tbsp Peanuts Whole
- 1 Tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 Tsp Masala Gujarati daal or garam
- 3 Medium Ripe tomatoes Finely chopped or liquidised. Can substitute tomatoe pulp or one tablespoon of tomatoe purée.
- 2 Pieces Kokum Dried
- 1 Tbsp Gor Brown Indian sugar lump
- 1-2 Tsp Salt To taste
- Small Bunch Fresh coriander ધાણા Finely chopped for garnish
Cook soaked daals in fresh water( one and a half time the quantity of daals). If you are familiar with the pressure cooker then use that. It will greatly reduce the required time. The cooked daals should be homogenous.
In the meantime, using a large heavy bottom pan heat the oil. When the oil is hot, add the vaghaar ingredients: rai, methi and green chilli, in that order. As soon as the spices start to splutter add the hing, turmeric and the peanuts.
Next add the chilli and ginger paste. Cook for half a minute and add in the tomatoes. Stir continuously.
Now add the masala and the salt. Let it all simmer until the oil starts to separate.
Add the kokum and the gor.
While the tomatoes are simmering, Liquidise the cooked daals. Add extra water if required and then add to the pan.
Keep stirring to distribute the spices and the tomatoes. Add water if necessary to give a soup consistency to the daal. It should taste spicy, sweet and sour. Add some lemon juice if required
Taste before serving and sprinkle the coriander to garnish.