PUNJABI MOONG DAAL FRY / MOONG DAAL TADKA

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Serves:4

Ingredients:

1/2 cup moong daal/spilt skinned mung lentils
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely chopped

1/2 inch ginger/adrak, finely chopped or grated
2 cloves garlic finely chopped

1/4 tsp red chili powder/lal mirch powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder/haldi
2 tbsp + 1tsp pure ghee or clarified  butter

1 tsp cumin seeds/jeera

1/4 tsp garam masala powder

1/4 tsp red chili powder
1 green chilli fnely chopped

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and soak split skinned moong daal in water for 1-2 hour.(it is not a must to soak this daal but if you will soak it the daal will taste better)  
2. Take daal, turmeric powder,salt,1 tsp ghee and 4 cups of water in a pressure cooker.
3. Pressure cook on high flame till first whistle then simmer the gas and switch off the gas after second whistle.
4. Once the pressure settles down, remove the lid and stir the dal.
5. Check the daal if required cook further without lid till you reach the desired consistency.
6. Heat ghee or butter in a pan and crackle cumin seeds.
7. Then add ginger, garlic and stir for a while then add onions and cook till they become brown in color.
8. Now add chopped green chili and chopped tomatoes and cook till the tomatoes become soft and the masala leaves ghee.
9. Switch off the gas and add the garam masala powder, red chili powder  and chopped coriander leaves.
10. Mix well and pour the tempering mixture in the daal.
11. Mix well and serve hot moong daal with steamed rice or chapatis.

Note:

1.  How many whistles are required will depend on the size of cooker , quality of daal and hardness of water. So give one whistle and then open the cooker when the pressure settles by itself and then cook the daal till it becomes almost mushy (the grain and water mix well).