Monday, June 22, 2009

Arhar dal

Arhar is a delicious lentil and a staple in India. This goes well with rice or any of the Indian flatbreads - chappatis, parathas, tandoori or rumali rotis and naans. It also perfectly complements most of the vegetable dishes prepared in the Indian way.

Materials:


- 3/4 cup arhar
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 teaspoon haldi (turmeric)
- salt to taste

Preparation:


Soak dal in water for about 1/2 hour (not essential but shortens cooking time). Add turmeric and salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer till done (about 1/2 hour - check periodically if done; you can also stir and/or mash the lentils).

For finishing (optional): heat ghee (or oil) in a small pan. Add a pinch of heeng (asafoetida), 1/4 teaspoon sabut zeera (cumin seeds), 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (or whold dried chili peppers), 1 clove of garlic (chopped, optional). Fry mixture and pour on top of lentils just before serving. Garnish with fresh coriander.

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About Me

I was born and raised in India and attended school and college there. In May 2007, I completed my PhD (in Neuroscience) at the Center for Neural Science at New York University and stayed on there as a postdoctoral fellow until early 2009. Currently (as of 2025), I am in the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford University.