Indian Dal

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 100 g Lentils, Indian (Arhar)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds, brown
• 1 pinch(s) ground asafetida
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 m.-sized onion(s)
• 4 small chili peppers, green
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp garam masala
• some coriander leaves for sprinkling

Instructions

Working time approx. 35 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 50 minutes

Simple and vegetarian

First, soak the lentils (arhar) in plenty of water for 1 hour. Drain, transfer to a suitable pot, cover with plenty of water, and bring to a boil. Now reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 25-35 minutes until soft. Cooking times vary, but 25 minutes are usually necessary. During this time, chop the onions, chilies, and tomatoes. Place everything separately in separate bowls and set aside. Our arhar should gradually be cooked until soft. Drain it and mash it, not too finely but also not too coarsely, with a vegetable masher, and set it aside for a moment. Now, take a medium-sized pot and heat our vegetable oil over medium heat. Then, add the mustard seeds and heat them while stirring until they begin to pop. Now, add the onions, chilies, turmeric, and asafetida powder and fry everything for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Stirring is important at this point because the spices absorb the oil very quickly, making the pan very dry. So, keep scraping some of the oil off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Now add the tomatoes, mix well, and sauté for about 4 minutes until soft. Now add our pounded arhar and 250 ml of water to the pan, mix thoroughly, and bring to a boil. Add salt, sugar, and garam masala and cook for another 5 minutes. Sprinkle with coriander and serve.