Gujarati Dal

Served with a dollop of ghee on the steamed rice or with piping hot phulkas, Gujarati Dal ends up making that perfect lighthearted meal you are craving for!

This slightly sweet, spicy and tangy dal is thin in consistency and is perfectly served with steamed rice or phulkas. Here is how to make it.

Dal is a must recipe in every Indian household and is made more than 2 or 3 times a week for our everyday meals.

But the same preparation of Dal, can be boring when eaten everyday and therefore I always make sure that my tadka has some varieties. 

While on some days we like spicy Dals, there are other days when we like a sweet and tangy Dal and what can be better than a Gujarati Dal when it comes to the later category!

So, here’s my recipe of the famous, sweet and sour Gujarati Dal garnished with coriander leaves, curry leaves that completely deserves your try!

However, having never tried this dal, the minute I made and tasted it, I become its fan.

You can pair this dal with Punjabi Bhindi Masala, Achari Aloo, Baingan Bharta,  Kamal Kakdi Sabzi or any other Sukhi sabzi of your choice.

Having said that, Gujarati Dal ends up making that perfect lighthearted meal you are craving for! Try it soon! 

Here, some delicious Dal recipes for you to give your everyday dal a break –  Dal Makhani, Cholar Dal, Dhuli Urad Dal, Malwa Dal, Dal Palak, Panchmel Dal, Malwa Dal, and North Indian Style Toor Dal. 

What is Gujarati Dal?

it is a popular and simple Dal recipe which is prepared for everyday meals in every Gujarati household. 

It uses Tuvar Dal, which is boiled along with tomato, kokum, green chilli, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and ginger paste.

These ingredients lend a perfect sweet, tangy and spicy flavour to the dal at the same time. 

The highlight of Gujarati cuisine is that it cherishes the idea of making its dishes slightly sweet and hence, even in this Dal, I have added a tad of jaggery along with a dash of fresh lemon juice to do justice to this timeless accompaniment.

Moreover, a blend of peanuts, dal, spices, jaggery, make this dal an exceptional serving indeed!

Finally, this dal is tempered with hing, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds in ghee, that make the dal complete and totally irresistible. 

Serving Suggestion

This sweet and tangy dal tastes the best with Steamed Rice, as it gets mixed properly with the rice due to its thin consistency.

You can also serve it along with hot Phulka with some ghee on top. Yummy!

Health Benefits of including Dal in everyday meals 

Dal is good for heart health, digestion and lentils also aid in lowering the cholesterol and stabilizes the blood sugar.

In case you wish to shed some weight that lentils help you a lot.

These are a few of the reasons due to which I ensure to prepare a piping hot batch of Dal every day!

What is the right consistency of Gujarati Dal?

This al is thinner than the regular dal that we eat at home.

To check it it’s consistency is right, let the dal sit in a bowl for 30 minutes.

If the water starts to float on top and dal settles beneath, it’s correct. However, there are no rules.

If you like your dal thick, keep it thick 🙂

Pro Tips by Neha

Some people add dates in place of jaggery to sweeten the dal. You can try it too.

In old days Kokum was used as the souring agent in the dal, but you can use lemon or tamarind as well.

If using Kokum in place of lemon juice, add 2 dried rinds of Kokum in the dal and boil it for 2-3 minutes.

This dal has no onion and no garlic, so people who refrain from eating these ingredients, it’s a good option for them to try.

Jain Friendly Recipe

To make a Jain version of this dal, skip adding ginger and peanuts.

Some people boil the dal with just hing, salt and peanuts. Whisk it well until it is smooth.

Then add turmeric powder, green chilli, ginger, jaggery and kokum and bring it to a boil.

Then temper the dal with hing, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds in ghee.

You can try this version too for another variation too.

You might also like:

Lauki Chana Dal

Dal Dhokli

Gujarati Kadhi

Punjabi Dal Tadka

Dhuli Urad Dal

Methi Thepla

Step By Step Recipe

Wash tuvar dal and soak in water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and add the dal in a pressure cooker along with tomato, kokum, green chilli, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and ginger paste. Add 4 cups of water and pressure cook the dal until it is nicely cooked.

Whisk the cooked dal nicely.

Add jaggery, lemon juice and boiled peanuts and mix well.

Heat ghee for tempering in a pan.

Once the ghee is hot, add hing, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.

Add dry red chilli, cloves and cinnamon stick and fry for a few seconds. Pour the tempering over the cooked dal. Mix well.