Dalitoy
Veg
The sacred dal of Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) cuisine — split black gram cooked until very soft and tempered with ghee, mustard seeds, dried red chilli, and a generous pinch of asafoetida. Eaten daily in GSB households with rice and a vegetable; the asafoetida tempering is its defining characteristic.
Cuisines
Mangalorean
Udupi
Saraswat
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 10 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 40 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 1 cup | toor dal (pigeon peas) |
| 3 cups | water |
| 1 tsp | turmeric powder |
| 1 tsp | salt |
| 1 tbsp | ghee |
| 1 tsp | mustard seeds |
| 1 tsp | cumin seeds |
| 1 pinch | asafoetida |
| 2 | dried red chilies |
| 1 sprig | curry leaves |
| 2 tbsp | freshly grated coconut |
| 1 tbsp | chopped coriander leaves |
Instructions
- 1 Rinse the toor dal thoroughly under running water.
- 2 In a pressure cooker, combine the rinsed dal, water, and turmeric powder.
- 3 Pressure cook the dal for 3-4 whistles until it becomes soft and mushy.
- 4 Once the pressure releases, open the cooker and mash the dal lightly.
- 5 Add salt to the cooked dal and bring it to a gentle boil.
- 6 In a small pan, heat ghee over medium heat.
- 7 Add mustard seeds to the hot ghee and allow them to splutter.
- 8 Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, dried red chilies, and curry leaves to the pan.
- 9 Fry the spices for a few seconds until aromatic.
- 10 Pour the tempering over the boiling dal and mix well.
- 11 Add freshly grated coconut and simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
- 12 Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
For a richer flavor, you can add a pinch of sugar to balance the spices.