Gujarati dal (khatti meethi dal)

Ingredients

• ¾ cup toor dal
• 3½ cups water
• 2 tbsp raw peanuts, soaked
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
• 2 tbsp jaggery
• 3–4 kokum petals or 1 tbsp tamarind pulp
• ½ tsp turmeric
• Salt to taste
• For tempering: 1 tbsp ghee or oil, ½ tsp mustard seeds, ½ tsp fenugreek seeds, 2 cloves, 1 small cinnamon stick, 2 dry red chillies, a pinch of hing, 8 curry leaves
• Chopped coriander

Method

1. Pressure-cook the dal with the peanuts, turmeric and 2 cups water for 4–5 whistles. Whisk until smooth.
2. Add the remaining water, tomato, ginger-chilli paste, jaggery, kokum or tamarind and salt.
3. Simmer for 10–15 minutes so the flavours blend; the dal should be thin.
4. Prepare the tempering in ghee and pour it into the dal.
5. Garnish with coriander and serve with rice, rotli and shaak.