Hyderabadi Khatti Dal

Ingredients

• 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas, rinsed)
• 1 tomato (chopped)
• salt (to taste)
• 1 tsp red chili powder (adjust to taste)
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 3 green chilies (slit)
• 0.25 cup coriander leaves (fresh, chopped)
• 10 curry leaves (fresh)
• 3 cup water (for pressure cooking)
• 2 tbsp tamarind (soaked and mashed into a paste)
• 1 cup water (for tamarind extraction)
• 2 tbsp oil (for tempering (baghar))
• 0.25 tsp kalonji (nigella seeds)
• 0.5 tsp rai (mustard seeds)
• 0.5 tsp zeera (cumin seeds)
• 3 dried whole red chilies (for tempering)

Steps

1. 1

   In a pressure cooker, combine 1 cup rinsed toor dal, 1 chopped tomato, ginger garlic paste, red chili powder, salt, green chilies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, and 3 cups of water.

2. 2

   Close the lid and pressure cook for 5-6 whistles until the dal is completely soft and mushy.

3. 3

   Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and mash the dal mixture thoroughly using a whisk or a traditional wooden masher (dal ghotni) until smooth.

4. 4

   Add the prepared tamarind paste and 1 cup of water to the mashed dal. Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil. Adjust salt to taste and let it simmer for a few minutes until the raw smell of tamarind disappears.

5. 5

   Prepare the baghar (tempering): Heat oil in a small frying pan. Add the kalonji (nigella seeds), rai (mustard seeds), and zeera (cumin seeds). Let them splutter.

6. 6

   Add the dried whole red chilies and a few fresh curry leaves to the hot oil. Fry for a few seconds until the chilies darken slightly and the leaves are crisp.

7. 7

   Pour the sizzling baghar immediately over the boiling dal and cover the pot for a minute to trap the aromatic flavors.

8. 8

   Serve hot with steamed rice (chawal), a dollop of ghee, and tala hua gosht (fried meat).

Notes

For the tamarind paste, soak the tamarind in warm water for 15 minutes before mashing and straining. You can adjust the thickness of the dal by adding more or less water during the final boil.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• hyderabadi
• indian
• dal
• comfort food
• lunch