Kurthi dal (horse gram dal)
AI-drafted · awaiting admin review
A warming dal of horse gram, a hardy pulse grown on Jharkhand’s dry uplands, tempered with garlic and mustard oil.
Region: JharkhandOccasion: Everyday meals, especially in winterTime: 1 hr + overnight soakingServes: 4Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup kurthi (horse gram), soaked overnight
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 2 dried red chillies
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Method
- Pressure-cook the soaked horse gram with turmeric, salt and 3 cups water for 6–8 whistles until soft.
- Mash it lightly, keeping some grains whole.
- Heat the mustard oil, add the cumin, dried red chillies and garlic, then the onion, and fry until golden.
- Add the tomato and cook until soft, then pour this tempering into the dal.
- Simmer for 5–10 minutes and serve with rice.
History
Horse gram grows on poor, dry soils where little else does well, and has long been a pulse of the Chota Nagpur uplands.
Significance
Kurthi dal is valued as a filling, nourishing food in the cold months, and kurthi is one of the pulses that small farmers in Jharkhand grow for their own use and for sale.