Mung dal special

INGREDIENTS

main ingredients:

¾ cup moong dal/spilt skinned mung lentils
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
1 medium size tomato, chopped
½ inch ginger/adrak, finely chopped or
grated
¼ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
⅓ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
3 cups water
salt as required
for tempering
1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
4-5 garlic/lahsun, crushed lightly
¼ or ½ tsp garam masala powder
¼ tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder
1 or 2 green chilli/hari mirch - slit
a pinch of asafoetida/hing
2-3 tbsp oil or ghee or butter

INSTRUCTIONS

1. take all the ingredients listed under main
ingredients except salt in a pressure
cooker.
2. stir well and pressure cook till the dal is
cooked and soft.
3. once the pressure settles down, remove the
lid and stir the dal.
4. if the dal looks thick, then add some water
and simmer for 1-2 minutes. add salt and
keep aside.
5. in a small pan, heat oil or ghee or butter.
first fry the cumin seeds.
6. next add the garlic and green chili and fry
for some seconds.
7. don't brown the garlic. switch off the
flame.
8. now add the garam masala powder, red
chili powder and asafoetida.
9. switching off the flame ensures that the
spice powders don't get burned.
10. you can also fry the spice powders on a
low flame.
11. make sure you don't burn them.
12. stir and immediately pour the tempering
mixture in the dal.
13. stir the moong dal and serve hot moong
dal with steamed rice or chapatis.
14. the moong dal tastes better as it is and
there is no need to garnish or add
coriander leaves to it.