ARAHAR DAL - U.P. Style

Arhar Dal (also called: Tour Dal in Marathi or Gujarati, Tumara Parippu in Malayalam, Tuvaram Paruppu in Tamil, English Yellow Pigeon Peas.

Ingredients ;

• 2 Cups Dal 
• 2 cup water 
• 1, Tsp. Full Turmeric Powder 
• Methi Seeds half teaspoon (Fenugreek Seeds) 
• 4, Tablespoon Ghee 
• 1 Teaspoon Chili Course powder (Kuti) 
• 4-5 Whole long Red Chilies 
• Few Pinches Good quality Hing (Asafoetida) 
• One Tea spoon Mustard Seeds (optional) 
• 1 Tablespoon Chopped Coriander Leaves 
• Crushed Garlic 3-4 Cloves (Optional) 
• Salt to taste 

Method:
Rinse Dal till water is clean and no more cloudy. Soak Dal for about 15-20 minutes.  Give one boil to Dal. Collect the froth floating on  top of Dal water and discard. Pressure cook in 2 cups water along with 1, tablespoon Ghee, salt, turmeric and Methi till Dal is tender but BE CAREFUL that it is not soupy, some grains must remain visible like flaky pieces. The technique lies here and in tempering. See it is neither very thick nor thin. This can be adjusted with open cooking at low heat to adjust the consistency. Homogeneity of the Dal water is to be maintained that’s a great contributor to the real taste of Arhar Dal.

Chhounk: (Tadka, Baghar or Tempering)
Heat a saucepan, add the remaining Ghee, when Ghee is hot put the whole chilies. (May fry number of Chillies as per the number of persons going to eat on table plus a few. This is to be done as per the requirement or to taste.) Keep stirring till chilies are bit blackish and crispy. Take them out and keep aside. Put mustard seeds to Ghee to splutter, add Chillie Powder (Kuti Mirch) and Hing. Close fire, so that Chillie and the Hind get fried and not loose their effect or taste. Mix ¾ portion of this mixture with Dal. Leave remaining to put on top as garnishing while serving. Serve it very hot. Pour the remaining tempering mixture on top, sprinkle the chopped Coriander leaves, arrange the crispy fried chillies near centre and serve. (Arrange only 3-5 on Dal rest may be kept in small dish near Dal Dish, and not making garnishing look clumsy and stuffy).

Good recommended associates are Boiled Rice or Roti, and Sukhe Aaloo and green (mint+coriender+garlic+spices) chutney. Note: 1) You may add 2 teaspoon full of Crushed Garlic to sizzling Ghee before putting mustard seeds in tempering as well, it goes very well with this Dal

2) Time savers: process extra Dal till before tempering and cool it and freeze so that next consumption time you only have to adjust consistency and tempering.