Kali Dal

Finally I am back to posting new recipes after an awesome vacation back home in India traveling to 10 cities all with a little one!. While it has taken me a while to get back I am always trying out new recipes as well better the old fashioned ones. One of the simple recipes is kali dal which is made of urad dal with black skin on them. Most of us have used the urad dal without skin in idli batter or some sort, but it could also be prepared with skin & it is purely soul soothing. Today, that’s what is cooking in my kitchen and it brings me back many wonderful memories. Let me know if it does to you too and share them with me.

Urad Dal with skin

Recipe: (makes for about 4 people)
1 Cup urad dal with skin
1 small onion diced
1 large tomato diced
3 cloves of garlic crushed using a pestle
1 tsp red chili powder or per taste
1/2 tsp haldi powder
2 tsp ghee
1 tsp rai
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 lemon or lime
1/2 tsp black pepper
Fresh coriander for garnish
Salt per taste

Garlic & Pepper crushed using a pestle

Wash the dal and pressure cook it with 1/2 of the diced tomatoes and haldi powder. Using the pestle crush the garlic and black pepper, this just gives extra flavor and aroma I suppose. There is something about hand crushed or ground. Heat ghee in a vessel and add the rai, let it splutter. Now add the onions and sauté until translucent. Now add the garlic, sauté and then add the cooked dal. Add the spices and let it boil. Squeeze some lime juice as per taste and just before removing from the stove, add the remaining tomatoes for a fresh taste and look. Garnish with coriander and serve hot with roti or rice.

Simply unfooling & always satisfying ~ Kali Dal