An Cooking

WHOLE TOOR DHAL CURRY

I have never tasted whole toor dhal before. When I found these lentils at a local grocery store, I thought they would taste like the usual toor dhal and bought these. When I tried making dhal fry with these, it was a total failure as the lentils never got cooked even after so many whistles in the pressure cooker. When I consulted my mum about this, she suggested me to soak the dhal for a few hours and then cook. I soaked the dhal overnight and prepared a curry. It turned out very well during the first time itself. It did not taste like dhal, it tasted more of rajma and red beans. I prepared it as a dry curry to go with rice. I have also used tandoori masala in this curry. Initially, I was a bit skeptic about this but the curry tasted so great. It totally gave a different taste to the dish. Here goes the recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
Whole toor dhal, /2 cup, soaked overnight.
Red onions, medium sized, 2.
Tomato.
Green chilies, 2.
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon.
Coriander powder, 1 tablespoon.
Garam masala, ½ teaspoon.
Tandoori masala (optional), ½ teaspoon.
Ginger-Garlic paste.
Salt, as per taste.
Curry leaves and cilantro.

PREPARATION:
Soak the toor dhal overnight and cook them for 3-4 whistles in pressure cooker sufficient enough not to overcook the lentils. They should be whole and not mashed up. Chop up the onions and tomatoes. Split the green chilies into two and keep aside. Heat a kadai with some oil. When the oil is hot enough, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. Then add some curry leaves and onions and sauté for a minute and then add the tomato, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste. When the onions and tomatoes are well blended, add chili powder, coriander powder, garam masla, salt, and tandoori masala and fry everything for a minute. Then add the cooked whole toor dhal with ¼ cup of water and cook them closed under a low flame for 5-10 minutes. When the curry is dry, switch off the stove and garnish with cilantro leaves and serve.