Description
Toor dal is ideal for vata, as it is heavy and heating. The cool potatoes add balance to pitta, and kapha benefits from the spices.
Ingredients
Scale
- Half a cup toor dal, rinsed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 and a half cups peeled potatoes* (cut into cubes)
- 1 cup shopped, seeded peel toatoes (I use a vegetable peeler)
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- Quarter cup unsweetened coconut
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- Half tsp chopped thin green or red chilli pepper
- Half tsp pressed/minced garlic
- Quarter cup coarsely chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp urad dal (can be omitted)
Instructions
- Place toor dal in a bowl of warm water, whisk gently and empty the water – repeat. Add water then let the toor dal soak for half an hour. Drain.
- Saucepan: combine dal, 1 and a half cups of water and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20-30 minutes – until when you gently press a toor dal pulse between fingers it’s a little soft (not squishy). Drain off remaining water, and discard bayleaf.
- Saucepan: toor dal, potatoes, tomato, salt and 2 cups of water – bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat.
- In a blender: coconut, cumin, chilli, garlic and quarter cup of water. Blend until smooth. Add to the dal mixture and stir well. Add the coriander.
- Saucepan: melt ghee over a low heat. Add mustard and urad dal; cook, stirring for about 30 seconds or until the mustard seeds pop. Stir into dal.
- Service with basmati rice/steamed vegetables.
Notes
Be careful not to overcook the mustard seeds.