Gujarati Dal
A thin, mildly sweet-and-tangy toor dal tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves and a touch of jaggery — the signature dal of every Gujarati thali.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 160 kcal
Equipment
- •Pressure cooker
- •Kadai
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 160 kcal
- fat
- 5 g
- carbs
- 22 g
- fibre
- 6 g
- protein
- 8 g
- calories
- 160 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Pressure cook the toor dal with turmeric and water until soft and mushy, about 4-5 whistles.
- 2
Whisk the cooked dal until smooth. Stir in extra water until it is thin and pourable.
- 3
Add tamarind pulp and jaggery (unrefined cane sugar). Bring to a simmer, adjusting sweetness and tang to taste.
- 4
Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a small pan. Fry mustard and cumin seeds, dried red chilli, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves and asafoetida until they sizzle.
- 5
Pour this sizzling spice mixture directly over the simmering dal.
- 6
Simmer for 5 more minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
Chef's tips
The dal should be thin and soup-like, unlike thick Punjabi dal. Balance the sweet, sour and mild spiced flavours for an authentic Gujarati taste.
Ingredient substitutions
- jaggery → brown sugar
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop, thinning with a little water if needed.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Making the dal too thick and losing its signature light, runny texture.
Serving suggestions
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