Gujarati Series: Tuvar Daal

No Gujarati meal is complete without it.....the sweet, tangy, delicious Gujarati daal. Every Gujarati home has its unique flavor...no two are alike. Maybe that's why I love this daal so much. No matter how many times I have it, the taste never gets old. Here is my everyday version, on special occasions, I do tweak the recipe a little, more on that type of daal in a different post. Here is the recipe:

• 1.5 cups Tuvar daal - rinsed
• 1 large juicy tomato- chopped
• Jaggery- to taste,
• 2-3- Kokum Pieces (optional)
• 1 large jalapeno or 2 small chilies
  
• 1 tsp- turmeric powder, 1 tsp- chili powder, 1.5 tsp - dhania-jeera powder, salt to taste
• 1 tbsp -oil, 1 tsp- Fenugreek Seeds, 1 tsp- Mustard seeds, 2-3, curry leaves, Asafoetida to taste.
• 1 small piece ginger- grated
• Few Peanuts....(optional)
  
• Cilantro Leaves
  

Soak the tuver daal in enough water for at least half an hour. Add some Fenugreek seeds, and a pinch of turmeric to the water before putting it in the pressure cooker. Cook until soft.

Mash the daal with enough water to make it into a medium consistency. The water and daal mixture should not be too thick or thin. In a deep pan, pour the daal, add the jaggery, kokum pieces, peanuts, chopped jalapenos, tomatoes and cilantro. Stir well. Bring this mixture to a boil. Let this mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes. Add the salt, chili powder, and dhania-jeera powder.
In a separate tempering pan, heat some oil. Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds, When the fenugreek seeds turn a bit red, add some curry leaves and the asafoetida. Pour this tempered mixture into the daal. Stir well, and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
When ready to serve the daal, add the grated ginger towards the end and simmer some more, around 5 more minutes. Garnish with Cilantro and serve hot with rice, curry, chapatis and yogurt. Enjoy!