Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Daal ( Daali thoy)


Now comes the soul of konkani food without which we amchis just don't survive. Diva of all dishes!!!! Thoyi YES .... Daali Thoy...be it marriage, festivals, satsangs or whatever u just need this dish. Its the backbone of konkani cuisine.
Fond memories of the Car festival in Mangalore lays upon me - first comes the side dishes and then the rice and devasthana saaru, i would opt for very little rice and saar, then cames daali with a special note "thoy thoy" i would finish off the rice or else make place for daali by making a round well of rice to hold daali at the centre and relish it, the thick porridge like consistency of daali would make me feel heaven at temple!!!!
Now coming back to reality ..lets start with the recipe to this daali.

Ingredients: serves 4
Tuvar daal - 1 cup
green chillies - 3
salt to taste
Seasoning:
ghee or coconut oil - 2 tsp
mustard seeds - 1 tsp
red chillies - 1
curry leaves - 1 strand
hing(asafoetida) powder - a big pinch

Method:
For starters, let me give the basic details.

Place daali in a vessel that fits into the pressure cooker or cooker itself if cooking directly.
Wash daali once or twice in water and drain. Add 2 cups of water and soak for 20 minutes if time permits, else simply keep in the pressure cooker and
-bring to pressure on medium heat. Reduce heat and cook for 6 minutes - for hawkins - Futura cooker
-bring to pressure for 3 whistles. Reduce heat and cook for 6 minutes - prestige cooker.
I hope this is clear for all the beginners.

you can also cook daali directly but that will need more water and more time to cook.
Once the daali is cooked, mash it with a back of the ladle or masher or egg beater to get a mushy consistency.
Place it over a medium flame add salt and slit green chillies and get to a boil. The daali is ready.
For seasoning:
Heat oil in a small pan (panna kayli) add mustard, once the mustard crackles lower the flame and add whole red chillies and saute add curry leaves and finally the asafoetida powder ( If using gum asafoetida dissolve a big pinch in 1 tbsp water and add it to the daali directly after the seasoning when the daali is still hot). mix well. Pour this seasoning over the daali. Serve hot with rice!!!

No comments: