Outenga dail (dal with elephant apple)
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
Red lentils cooked with slices of outenga (elephant apple), giving a gently sour dal for hot days.
Region: AssamOccasion: Everyday summer mealsTime: 35 minServes: 4Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup masoor dal, washed
- 1 cup outenga (elephant apple) slices, outer petals separated and lightly pounded
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp mustard oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 1–2 green chillies
- 4 cups water
Method
- Cook the dal with water, turmeric and salt until soft.
- Add the outenga pieces and simmer until they soften and release their sourness, about 10 minutes.
- Heat the mustard oil, add mustard seeds and chillies, and let them splutter.
- Pour the tempering over the dal and serve with rice.
History
Outenga, the fruit of the elephant apple tree (Dillenia indica), is a common souring agent in Assamese cooking.
Significance
Sour dishes (tenga) are believed to cool the body in summer, and outenga dal is a common summer dal.