Rajasthani Daal

This recipe is courtesy of our family friends from Rajasthan — shared exactly as they make it. It’s a very different way of cooking daal compared to what we’re used to in the North of India.

Ingredients #

  • Split green lentils (moong daal) – 3 fistfuls
  • Yellow dried split peas (chana daal) – ½ fistful

Spices & Flavourings #

  • Turmeric powder (haldi) – ½ teaspoon
  • Chilli powder – ½ teaspoon
  • Coriander powder (dhania) – ¼ teaspoon
  • Green chillies – 2 (chopped)
  • Cumin seeds (zeera) – ¼ teaspoon
  • Mustard seeds (rai) – ¼ teaspoon
  • Curry leaves – 3
  • Asafoetida (heeng) – 2 pinches
  • Garam masala – ¼ teaspoon
  • Ground cumin (zeera powder) – ½ teaspoon
  • Fresh coriander leaves (dhania) – 4 tablespoons (chopped)
  • Salt – ½ teaspoon (or to taste)

Other #

  • Cooking oil – 1 tablespoon
  • Water – approximately 1 glass

Method #

  1. Take 3 fistfuls of yellow moong daal and ½ fistful of chana daal. Soak them for 20–30 minutes.
  2. In a small bowl, mix turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, chopped green chillies and about 3 tablespoons of water to create a flowing spice paste.
  3. Heat a pressure cooker on high flame, add oil.
  4. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.

    ⚠️ The mustard and cumin seeds should not turn black.

  5. Add the prepared spice paste.
  6. When the spice paste begins to separate from the oil, add the soaked lentils and 1 glass of water.
  7. Add salt to taste.
  8. Pressure cook on medium heat for 2–3 whistles.
  9. Let the pressure release naturally.
  10. Check the consistency of the daal — add warm water if needed.
  11. Put the cooker back on low heat and mash the lentils with a spoon or masher.
  12. Add chopped coriander leaves, garam masala and cumin powder.
  13. Let the daal simmer for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and cover.

Variations #

  • For Split Red Gram (Arhar daal): Do not add chana daal while soaking. You may also add tomato to the spice paste or tamarind paste while simmering.
  • For Chana daal: Add a clove, black cardamom and a bay leaf to the oil, along with brown mustard seeds. Add tamarind or amchoor paste when simmering.
  • For Moong daal chilka: Add garlic to the spice paste, and when frying whole spices, use only cumin seeds (omit mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida).