Khatti Dhal

Pressure cooking lentils

• ▢ 1 cup tuvar dal (tur dal or arhar dal)

• ▢ 2.5 cups water – for pressure cooking the lentils

• ▢ ½ cup tomatoes – chopped or 1 medium-sized tomato

• ▢ 1 inch ginger peeled and finely chopped or grated

• ▢ 2 garlic cloves medium-sized, grated or crushed or minced

• ▢ 1 pinch turmeric powder (ground turmeric)

Other ingredients

• ▢ 1 tablespoon tamarind (seedless), soaked in ½ cup hot water for 20 minutes

• ▢ 2 to 3 green chilies chopped or slit – add as required depending on the hotness of the chilies

• ▢ 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)

• ▢ ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)

• ▢ ½ teaspoon Red Chili Powder or cayenne pepper

• ▢ ¾ to 1 cup water to be added later or add as required

• ▢ salt as required

For tempering

• ▢ 3 to 4 tablespoon ghee (clarified butter) or oil

• ▢ 2 to 3 dried red chilies – kept whole or broken and deseeded – add as required

• ▢ 6 to 8 garlic cloves – small to medium-sized, finely chopped

• ▢ 12 to 15 curry leaves

• ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• ▢ 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)

INSTRUCTIONS

Cooking the lentils

• Rinse the lentils a few times in water.

• In a 3 litre pressure cooker, cook the lentils with the tomatoes, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, 2.5 cups water for 7-8 whistles or more till the lentils are tender and mushy.

• When the pressure settles down naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid.

• Mash the dal with a madani, wooden spoon or hand blender till fine and smooth.

• Meanwhile when the dal is cooking, soak tamarind in hot water for 20 minutes.

• Squeeze the pulp from the tamarind directly into its bowl of water.

• Strain the tamarind pulp and add to the dal.

• Also add the green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder and coriander powder. Stir in ¾ or 1 cup water along with salt.

• Keep the dal on a low heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away, all the flavors have blended well and the dal has reached a medium consistency.

• Cover and keep the cooked dal aside.

Making tempering

• Heat ghee or oil in a small frying pan. Keep heat to a low. Crackle the cumin seeds first.

• Then add the garlic and fry for 4 to 5 seconds on low heat. Add the dried red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida.

• On low heat fry till the red chilies change their color and the curry leaves become crisp.

• Pour this entire tempering mixture over the khatti dal and stir to combine.

• Cover and keep aside the dal for 5 to 6 minutes for the flavors to mingle.

• Serve Hyderabadi Khatti Dal with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, saffron rice or roti.