Simple Tuvar Dal (Toor Dal)
A healthy, easy and beginner-friendly Indian tuvar dal recipe — protein-rich, light, and perfect with rice or roti.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Wash the tuvar dal thoroughly and soak in water for about 15-30 minutes (optional but helps cook dal faster and improves digestion).
- Drain the dal and transfer it to a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups water, chopped onion, chopped tomato, turmeric powder and salt. Stir well.
- Close the cooker lid, cook on high flame until 1 whistle, then reduce flame to medium-low and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the flame and allow pressure to release naturally.
- Open the cooker and check consistency. If dal is too thick, add a little hot water and stir. Use a spoon to lightly mash some lentils for a slightly creamy texture.
- In a small pan, heat oil or ghee. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and asafoetida. When seeds crackle, pour this tempering over the cooked dal.
- Stir the dal gently, simmer for 1-2 minutes, then garnish with fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice or whole-wheat roti.
Notes
You may soak the dal for 30 minutes before cooking to make it easier to digest. Adjust water to get desired dal consistency (thick or soup-like). For richer taste, use ghee instead of oil.