Here is most humble, soul satisfying food in Indian cuisine. Dal Chawal. There is no comfort food like Dal Chawal. Whenever you are feeling little under the weather than hot dal chawal comes to the rescue. Perfect for winters, summers or rainy season. All dishes on one side and dal chawal on one. Arhar ki dal with steamed rice, mix achar, boondi raita and pyaz salad… the ultimate no fuss meal. Arhar dal chawal goes best with chatpate aloo, bhindi ki sabji, begun bhaja and mix vegetable raita accompanied by roasted papad, chutney, achar and onion salad.
Ingredients:
Ingredients for Dal:
- 1 cup Arhar Dal
- 2 tblsp Ghee (Clarified butter)
- 1/2 tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)
- 1/4 tsp Hing (Asfeotida)
- 1/2 tsp Haldi (Turmeric)
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
- 4 pods Garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 inch finely chopped Ginger
- 1 medium Tomato finely chopped
- 2 green chillies slit
- 1/2 tsp kasoori methi (Dried Fenureek Leaves)
- Salt to taste
Ingredients for boiled rice:
- 1 cup Basmati Rice
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Oil
- 1 litre Water
How to make dal chawal:
- To make the Dal:
- Wash and soak the arhar dal for 30 mins.Then boil the dal with 3 cups of water, salt and haldi. If using pressure cooker then 3 whistles. Let the pressure release on its own. Adjust the consistency right now. If too thick add some water and boil for another 5 minutes or if too thin then boil further till desired consistency is reached.
- Cover and keep aside.
- To make the tadka, in a kadai, add hing, jeera, chopped ginger and garlic. Sauté till the rawness disappears.
- Add chopped onions, green chillies, lightly brown them.
- Now add salt, haldi (little bit as allready added while boiling) and red chilly powder and immediately add chopped tomatoes. Cook till the tomatoes are soft and tender. This will take around 5 mins.
- Tip in the boiled dal to this , add crushed kasoori methi. Cover the vessel and bring to boil. Keep the lid closed so that the aroma of the tadka sweeps through the dal.
- Alternatively pour the tadka on the dal in the pressure cooker itself and close the lid till further use.
- To make boiled rice:
- Wash the rice in water 2 – 3 times running your fingers through it. This will remove excess starch from the rice. This will turn the water milk. Keep throwing the water. Removing extra starch from the rice ensures that the rice don not get sticky and will turn out fluffy. After the final rinse soak the rice for 30 mins.
- In a large pan having a capacity of 2 – 3 litre, boil the water.
- Once the water starts to boil add 1 tsp Salt and 1 tsp Oil. It is important that the water is boiling before you add the rice.
- Add the soaked rice. Do NOT add the water in which the rice were soaked.
- Give the rice a gentle stir. And let them boil for 8 – 10 mins. Check if the rice is got soft and then drain the extra water in a strainer leaving the rice behind.