PEPPER DAL

Pepper Dal is a spicy and healthy, vegan and gluten free recipe prepared using toor dal or yellow lentil and black peppercorns as main ingredients in less than 20 minutes.

This  can be served as soup or as side dish with steamed rice. This is popularly known as meere dalithoy in konkani. This is one recipe that is perfect for winter. The spiciness of the peppercorns can cure cough and cold.

Dal, sanna polo and steamed rice is a complete and comfort food. You can also try garlic dal or ginger dal. This dal is my favorite among all the variations of dal recipe that I have tried.

Traditionally butter is used in the recipe. But today I have prepared a vegan version. If you are non-vegan then feel free to use butter instead of oil as this enhances the taste.

Preparation time : 20 minutes
Serves : 3

Ingredients for Pepper Dal

Toor Dal - ¾ cup
Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - ⅛ tsp
Black peppercorns - 1 ½ tsp
Vegetable oil -  3 ½ tsp
Green chilie chopped - 2
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dried red chilie - 1
Curry leaves - 6
Salt - to taste

Steps to prepare Pepper Dal

Step I

• In a pressure cooker wash and add toor dal or yellow lentil and water, bring it to a nice boil. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida, close the lid and pressure cook for about 8 minutes or 2 whistles. See that the water is at least half inch above toor dal.
• Once the cooker is cooled down, remove the lid and whisk the cooked dal until it is blended into a smooth pate.

Step II

• Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoon of oil in pan. Add peppercorns and saute in medium flame till you get nice aroma.
• Using a pestle, finely crush this sauteed peppercorns to coarse powder.

Step III 

• Add crushed peppercorn, green chile, salt to the dal. Adjust the water for desired consistency and bring it to a nice boil.
• Prepare the tempering: Heat  1 ½ teaspoon of oil in pan. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter add the curry leaves and dried red chile and switch off the flame.
• Add this tempering to the dal.
• Pepper dal is now ready. Serve hot and enjoy.

Tip:

• You can also cook the toor dal in pot, adding water and salt. This will take longer time.
• Vary the amount of chilies as per your taste.
• You can also temper using butter if you are non-vegan.