Best Puneri Dal Yellow Lentils Pune Style Recipes

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PUNERI DAL (YELLOW LENTILS PUNE-STYLE)



Puneri Dal (Yellow Lentils Pune-Style) image

This dal, much prized by Puneri Brahmins in Maharashtra, is sweet and fragrantly spicy, with a slightly sour undertone. Kokum, one of the ingredients, is a local sour fruit which has been dried, and it gives southern Indian food a distinctive flavour. It is often available from Indian groceries, but tamarind paste is an acceptable substitute. Asafoetida is a gum resin prized as a condiment in India. It is also known variously as 'devil's dung' and 'food of the gods'! It has a strong sulphur smell prior to cooking, but thereafter has a pleasant aroma. Asafoetida is a useful antidote for flatulence, and is thus incorporated into many Indian lentil dishes! Goda Masala is a Maharashtrian spice blend. I have posted the recipe for it separately (see recipe #109909).

Provided by Daydream

Categories     Curries

Time 50m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

8 ounces toor dal, washed or 8 ounces split yellow lentils
2 teaspoons goda garam masala powder (see Goda Masala)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2-1 teaspoon ground red chili powder
2 kokum or 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
2 teaspoons jaggery or 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons fresh coconut or 4 tablespoons unsweetened coconut
salt, to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 pinch asafoetida powder
12 curry leaves (fresh, if possible)
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Steps:

  • Simmer the lentils in 4 cups of water for approximately 20 minutes, until just cooked, but not ‘mushy’.
  • Keep an eye on the lentils while they cook to ensure the water does not fully evaporate.
  • Drain off most of the water when the lentils are cooked and add the powder spices, kokum (or tamarind paste), desiccated coconut and salt to taste.
  • Simmer for a couple of minutes and stir until well mixed, adding more water if necessary to make a moist, but not ‘sloppy’, consistency.
  • Remove from the heat and keep warm.
  • Heat oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds, and saute until they pop and crackle.
  • Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
  • Stir once, then pour the oil and spices over the lentils.
  • Mix well, and serve hot garnished with cilantro.
  • Accompany with rice and a vegetable curry if desired.

GODA MASALA



Goda Masala image

This is a spice blend originating from Maharashtra in India. Goda' means 'sweet' and in this recipe the sweetness comes from the coconut in the mixture. It is not readily available in shops, so I make a fairly small quantity and store it in an airtight container for up to 4 months. This is an adaptation of Monisha Bharadwaj's recipe, and is an ingredient in Puneri Dal (Yellow Lentils Pune-style) which I am posting separately.

Provided by Daydream

Categories     Curries

Time 20m

Yield 1/2 cup

Number Of Ingredients 11

5 green cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick (1/2 inch)
5 cloves
2 bay leaves, dried
1 -2 teaspoon sunflower oil
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
4 teaspoons desiccated unsweetened coconut (or use fresh coconut, grated finely)
10 black peppercorns
5 cassia buds (optional)
2 tablespoons white poppy seeds

Steps:

  • Split open the cardamom pods and remove the seeds from the husks.
  • Discard the husks.
  • Heat the oil in a small skillet and saute the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom seeds and bay leaves until the cloves swell.
  • Dry roast the remaining ingredients over a low heat until the coconut is slightly darker than a golden brown.
  • Stir and watch carefully as the coconut can suddenly burn!
  • Cool both mixtures, than place all the spices in a clean coffee grinder, and grind until fine.
  • Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months.

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