Indian

raw mango dal

I usually find most of the fruits and vegetables I use pretty much all year round, either in the fresh or frozen section of the grocery store. Yet I eagerly look forward to Spring and Summer because along with the warming temperatures, the produce aisles suddenly come to life and stare back with a fresh vibrancy. That is when one wants to bake delicous tarts bursting with berries, make smoothies and lassis with the sweetest of mangoes and pick up two for the price of one pineapples because you know they will get eaten.

Over the past few years, the Indian store has also been stocking up on seasonal Indian fruits and vegetables and getting a hold of the small, Indian raw mangoes is not that uncommon anymore. And although my stock of pickles get couriered from India every summer, this year I bought more than a few raw mangoes to make some mango pickle that my husband likes and also to make some of my favorite mango dal.

I know this comes from a point of extreme bias but nobody I know can make it like my Amamma (maternal grandma)…not even my mom. That wonderful flavor from dry-roasting the kandipappu (tuvar dal/piegon peas) in the brass vessel and then seasoned to absolute perfection still lingers in my mouth.

Sitting in her kitchen and eating this with steaming hot rice, ghee and fried curd chillies on the side….incomparable! And even though I know I cannot match that taste, I still try to make some whenever I can get sour, green mangoes in the market.

Especially for this dal, I do not skip the step of dry-roasting the dals and I hope neither will you. Because it takes this dal to a whole new level. Simple, homestyle and soul-satisfying…..and with a little bit of ghee, really very good 🙂

Raw Mango Dal

Print Recipe

1 cup tuvar dal
1/2 to 3/4 cup raw mango, chopped into large chunks
1 green chili, serrano or thai
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste

Seasoning:
1 tsp black mustard seeds
3/4 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp dried fenugreek seeds
1/8 tsp asafetida powder
2-3 whole dried red chillies
1 sprig fresh curry leaves.
1 tbsp canola, peanut or vegetable oil

Dry roast the tuvar dal on a medium flame in the pressure cooker, stirring constantly until it turns golden brown.

Rinse a couple of times in cold water and add enough water to cook the dal. Add the green chili..

Put the raw mango in a small cup and put that on top of the dal in the pressure cooker. The reason for keeping the mango and dal separate is because the sour in the mango would prevent thte dal from cooking completely. Alternately, you can cook the raw mangoes separately with some water in the same saucepan you will be adding the dal into.

Pressure cook the dal for three whistles and when the dal has cooked, transfer it along with the cooked mango to a large saucepan. Add salt and the turmeric and cook on a medium flame. Add some water if it seems too thick.

Once it starts coming to a boil, make the seasoning.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the fenugreek seeds. When they start to turn golden brown, add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the cumin seeds, asafetida, dried red chillies, and curry leaves. Be careful since the seasoning can splutter a bit.

Pour this over the dal and let it come to a boil again. Check for salt and serve with some rice, ghee and fried curd chillies.

Yum