TOMATO DAL

For a quick and easy yet healthy and nutritious dish opt for dals. Many Indian families cook dals  pretty often. Toor dal is used to make the dish but can be substituted with moong dal. My cooking don't end without preparing some dal everyday. Tomato dal is made in many different ways , here I present the recipe adapted from my mom's version.

INGREDIENTS

• Toor dal                           1cup
• Tomatoes                         3 large
• Green chilies                    2
• Tamarind                         small piece
• Salt                                  to taste
• Red chilly powder             1tsp
• Cilantro                            4 sprigs
• Water                               2 cups

FOR THE TADKA

• Oil /ghee                          1 Tsp
• Urad dal                            1 tsp
• Channa dal                        1 tsp
• Mustard seeds                  1/2 tsp
• Jeera                                 1/2 tsp
• Hing                                   a pinch
• Turmeric                            a pinch

PROCEDURE
Cut the tomatoes into cubes ,slit the green chilies into two and deseed if they are too hot. Wash the dal and add the tomatoes, green chilies, tamarind and water, cook in a pressure cooker until the dal is cooked completely , but don't overcook so that it is too mushy. Keep the tamarind in a small bowl separated from dal, as the some dals doesn't cook due to sourness of tamarind.
Mash the dal . Add salt and red chilly powder and mix well. For the tadka heat oil/ghee ,add the tadka ingredients and once the mustard seeds splutter add it to the dal and mix well. Finally garnish tomato dal with coriander leaves and serve with steamy rice or chapathi.
TIPS AND OTHER VARIATIONS

• Add crushed garlic in tadka for a different kick.
• Some people add sambar powder and coconut milk for a different taste.
• One more variation is adding onions. For the preparation sauté onions and tomatoes in oil and when they are done add  to the dal and cook it.
• Always add turmeric to the tadka at last so that the raw flavor is removed and also it don't get burnt.