Rahar Ko Dal | Nepali Lentil Stew

If there was one alphabet that I kept changing a lot, it was this one!In our Culinary journey across the globe, we are now in Letter N.

I short listed recipes from Norway, Netherlands,Nigeria but then settled down to prepare something from Nepal.

•  It is called the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.
• It is one of the oldest country in South Asia.
• The Nepali Flag has two triangles signifying the Mount Everest and the two major religions practiced there – Hinduism and Buddhism.And it is the only country with a non quadrilateral flag.
• Nepal has the densest concentration of heritage sites in the world.
• Karnali is the longest river in the country.
• It is the home to 360 varieties of orchids,870 species of birds.
• Nepal has around 80 ethnic groups and 123 languages.

The cuisine of Nepal…

• Dal bhaat or Rice and Lentil is the staple in this land.
• The cuisine combines the Asian flavors yet it maintains its distinct flavors.
• Nepali cuisine includes herbs, spices, locally grown fruits and vegetables.

Some of the famous dishes are

• Daal Bhaat tarkari – Rice and lentils with vegetables
• Sel Roti – A ring shaped fried bread
• Ghorkali lamb- A winter favorite curry.
• Momos

Now to the recipe…

This is a simple dal gravy made with toor dal and delicately flavored with a few spices.

I used:
Adapted from here

Toor dal – 1/2 cup
Garlic-2 pods, chopped
Green chili-1, slit
Bay leaf-1
Ginger-1/2 teaspoon, minced

Cinnamon-1″ piece, broken
Turmeric powder-1/8 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder- a large pinch
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves- a fistful, finely chopped
Lemon juice to taste
Oil- 1 teaspoon

Tempering

Oil- 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds- 1 teaspoon

Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add the garlic, ginger, cinnamon, bay leaf and green chili. Saute till the garlic is soft. Add 2 cups of water and bring it to boil. Add turmeric powder, dal, asafoetida.Cover and pressure for 15 minutes / 3 hisses or till the dal is cooked.

Once the pressure releases, remove the lid and bring it back to boil. Add salt and mix. Simmer till you get the right consistency. Add water if it is too thick.Switch off the flame and add lemon juice to taste. The dal should be slightly tangy.

Heat oil for tempering and add the cumin seeds.When the cumin seeds splutter, pour over dal and mix.

Serve with Rice / Roti…

Bon Appetit….