SIMPLE DAL CURRY OR LENTILS CURRY

SIMPLE LENTILS AND TOMATO CURRY

This is just a basic Dal Curry. Any lentils / dal of your choice could be used depending on availability. Add any cut vegetables of your choice such as drumsticks, carrots, beans, spinach, radish etc if desired. It goes well with any steamed white rice or basmati rice and any meat or vegetable side dish. A little pickle along with the rice and dal with give it the required zing 

 Serves 6   Preparation and cooking time 1 hour

Ingredients

1 cup Red Lentils (Masoor Dhal) or Yellow Lentils (Moong Dal) 

2 big tomatoes chopped

2 teaspoons crushed garlic

1 teaspoon chillie powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder                                    

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

½ teaspoon mustard seeds

8 curry leaves

2 red chilies broken into bits

1 tablespoon oil

Salt to taste

Wash the red lentils / dal and keep aside.

Heat the oil in a suitable vessel and add the crushed garlic, mustard, red chilies and curry leaves. When the mustard splutters add the lentils / dhal, tomatoes, turmeric, chillie powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and 3 cups of water and cook on medium heat till the lentils turn soft.  Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with steamed  rice and a meat or vegetable side dish.