Lamba Kanda na Vaghar ma Tikhkhi Mugg Ni Dar – Split Green Gram in Spicy Onion Masala

Lamba Kanda na Vaghar ma Tikhkhi Mugg Ni Dar – Split Green Gram in Spicy Onion Masala

This is a family recipe. It also happens to be Grumpy Tomcat's (read; husband) all time favorite. The sweet, translucent onions go beautifully with the spicy dal. Have I ever known anyone else to make this lamba kanda ni dar/dal? The answer is, no! Is this a typical Parsee/Bawa dish? Yes, I consider it so because I make it and I am a Bawi ;-) Do give this a try. It’s quite different from the dal/s we usually cook.

Ingredients:

250 grams split green gram lentil/yellow moong dal/mugg ni dar

6 medium-sized onions, sliced

3 - 4 green chilies, chopped fine

4 medium tomatoes, chopped

2 - 2½ teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

1½ red chili powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

1½ teaspoons coriander-cumin powder/dhania-jeera powder

½ tablespoon Parsee Sambhar Masala

½ tablespoon Dhanshak Masala

½ teaspoon garam masala powder

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Salt to taste

A handful coriander leaves, chopped

4 - 5 tablespoons oil

Method:

1. Soak the moong dal in water for 10 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the dal twice in clean water.
2. Add 4 cups of water and salt and pressure cook the dal.
3. When done, open the cooker and briskly run a spoon through it to ensure it is nice and smooth.
4. Heat oil in a vessel, add cumin seeds and allow to splutter.
5. Add the onion and fry till limp, translucent pink, just on the verge of onion edges beginning to turn light brown.
6. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds. Add the chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, Parsee Sambhar masala, Dhanshak masala, garam masala powder and sauté.
7. Add the tomatoes and cook till tomatoes are soft and oil separates.
8. Add the boiled moong dal in the masala and stir to mix the dal and masala. Ensure it is well blended.
9. Add a wee bit of water to adjust the consistency of the dal. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, yet not so thick that it is falls in blobs from the spoon.
10. Lower heat, cover the vessel and simmer for 10-15 minutes, allowing the dal to absorb the flavors of the masala.
11. Retain a few coriander leaves for garnish and add the rest to the dal. Stir, simmer for a minute more and take the dal off the hob.
12. Garnish with the remaining coriander leaves and serve with roti and mango pickle.
    
    

Chef Notes:

1. When you boil the dal in the pressure cooker it will get quite thick, so ensure that you add adequate water when you pressure cook it.
2. Do not brown the onions. Leave them half cooked. Sweet, translucent onions are the hero of this dish.
3. This dish is spicy so feel free to reduce the quantity of spice if you aren't able to handle spicy stuff.
4. Please pay attention to the consistency of the dal as it should not be too watery or too thick.
5. If you have no access to Parsee Sambhar and Dhanshak masala, feel free to omit those spices. 
6. You may share the direct blog-link of the recipe/s but do NOT publish my recipes and my photographs on any blog-site or website without my explicit consent or attempt to pass off my recipe/s as your own. You will be held accountable for plagiarism.