Tindora and Channa Dahl Curry

Difficulty Rating 3 (Special ingredient needed, time needed)

Channa dahl – ½ cup

Chili powder – ¼ tsp.

Onion, diced – 1 small

Coriander leaves –

     1 sprig (optional)

Coriander powder- 1 tsp.

Garlic, crushed – 3 cloves

Cumin (Jeera) seeds – ¼ tsp.

Curry leaves – 1 sprig (optional)

Garam masala powder – 1 pinch

Asafetida (hing) powder –

     1 pinch (optional)

Mustard seeds (avalu) – ¼ tsp.

Oil – as needed

Red chilli – 2 (adjust to taste)

Salt – to taste

Tindora – 1 lb.

Tomato – 2 small

Turmeric – pinch

1. Boil Chana dal covered with about 1 ½ cups water until it is mostly cooked but still whole and not mushy.
2. Heat the oil. Add red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves until they pop.
3. Add garlic until slightly golden.
4. Add onion until transparent.
5. Add hing and turmeric and fry for a few seconds.
6. Add tomato, red chili powder, coriander powder. Mix and cook for a couple of minutes until the tomato starts to break down just a bit.
7. Add tindora and fry for a couple of minutes.
8. Add about ½ cup of water and salt to taste.
9. Cover and simmer until the tindora is cooked (about 15 minutes)
10. Add Chana dal with its water and garam masala and mix.
11. If desired, add about 2-3 Tbsp of butter and let simmer for another 10 minutes.
12. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice.