¾ cup split mung dal (soaked in water for an hour, and then drained)
3-3½ cups water
½ tsp turmeric
red chili powder (optional)
Salt
1 tomato, chopped into 5-6 pieces
For the tempering:
2-3 tbsp oil or ghee
pinch of hing/asafetida
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic
1 small piece of ginger (around one inch)
3-4 green chilies, or to taste
3-4 tbsp cilantro (optional)
Instructions
Wash and soak the Mung Dal for an hour. Drain and wash again.
In a pressure cooker or a sauce pan, add the drained dal and 3 cups water, salt, red chilli powder, tomato and turmeric. If using pressure cooker, cook on medium for 1 whistle. Let the pressure release on its own. If cooking in sauce pan, cover and cook on medium low for about 30 minutes or until the dal mashes.
For the tempering, heat a saucepan. Add oil/ghee and let it heat on medium high heat.
Once hot add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.r.
Add the hing/asafetida, garlic, ginger and green chillies, cook till fragrant and garic is brown around edges.
Add the onions and cook till translucent.
Add the tadka into cooked dal, mix lightly. You can add garam masala if you like at this point but I like to keep this dal light and avoid any other masala.
You can Ggarnish with cilantro/dhania and serve hot with rice or roti.
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2016/08/09/mung-bean-dal/