Sweet, Spicy, and tangy, this Gujarati dal is a flavorful comfort food. Paired best with rice, Gujarati dal is a thin lentil soup /dal prepared with yellow lentils, herbs, and spices. Adding peanuts makes this dal a showstopper—vegan and plant-based food. Dal-rice is the perfect food combo in almost every part of India. We grew up eating the same dal -rice paired with veg curry, chutney, salad, and papad. This was our comfort home food. There are several varieties of dal. Every state /region has its own, and tempering usually changes with different households. So, I do not claim authenticity. However, this is my take on Gujarati dal, and it is very delicious. I will insist on trying it out.
What is Gujarati Dal?
This is also called Khatti-Meethi Dal. It tastes tangy, sweet, and spicy all at once. The consistency of this dal is typically thin, and it uses peanuts in the recipe. Like all other North Indian Dals, this one doesn’t use onion or garlic. In Gujarati weddings, it is served with other delicacies. Till a few years back, I had not tasted this Gujarati dal in our home. All the other deals like dal Palak (Spinach Dal), Instant Pot Chana Dal, Dal Bukhara , Bengali Cholar/Chana Dal/Split Chickpea Lentil were prepared, but not this Gujarati dal. Adding jaggery or sugar to the dal was not a traditional concept in our region; however, adding a little sugar to a few vegetables was well-known because of the influence of Bengali culture.
Ingredients Needed?
Toor Dal /Arhar Dal/Split Pigeon Peas/Yellow lentil- Easily available in all grocery stores. Raw Peanuts- Flavorings- Ginger, Tomato, Curry Leaves, Lime juice, Cilantro freshly chopped, green chilies (optional) Whole Spices- Fenugreek Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Black Mustard Seeds, Dry Red Chili. Salt, turmeric, Asafoetida powder, red chili powder, Jaggery. Instead of tamarind, I use lime juice; however, you can always use them if you like.
Serving Suggestion?
White rice and Jeera rice are paired with pickles, papad, and a bowl of Gujarati dal. Roti and paratha can also be served with the dal.
Why do we love this Dal?
It’s the perfect vegetarian protein meal. Pair it with rice and some greens, and you have a complete meal. It can be made as a pot meal, simple and easy. Vegan and gluten-free. If you have leftovers, make Dal Dhokli out of it. You will love every bite.
How to Make Dal?
Wash the dal or lentil. Put the dal with water in the instant pot. Add turmeric. Put peanuts in a small steel Katori. Cover with the lid. Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Let the steam release naturally. For tempering, take a big pan and add some oil. Heat the oil. Add fenugreek, cumin, Dry red chili, asafoetida powder, and black mustard seeds to the oil. Let them crackle. Add chopped tomato, red chili powder, Curry leaves, and crushed ginger to the pan. Let the tomatoes soften a bit. Add dal and steamed peanuts to it. Let it cook for some time. If the dal looks thick, add some hot water. At this point, add lime juice and jaggery. Let it simmer for a few minutes more. Add some fresh cilantro, and your dal is ready to enjoy.
Note-
Instead of steaming peanuts, you can boil the peanuts in the microwave.
