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    Whisk Affair » Recipes » Dal & Curries » Gujarati Dal

    Published: Mar 17, 2019 | Last Updated On: May 5, 2020 by Neha Mathur | This post may contain affiliate links. I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Gujarati Dal

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

    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.

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

    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.

    Soaked tuvar dal, tomato, koku, turme ric powder, red chilli powder, water and salt added in a pressure cooker.

    Whisk the cooked dal nicely.

    Cooked dal whisked until smooth.

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

    Jaggery, lemon juice and boile d peanuts added in the dal.

    Heat ghee for tempering in a pan.

    Ghee added in a pan.

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

    Hing, fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, cumin, dry red chillies, cloves and cinnamon added in ghee.

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

    Tempering poured over dal.

    Recipe Card

    Loved this recipe?Click here to leave a review and give us a five star rating ★★★★★
    Served with a dollop on ghee on the steamed rice or with piping hot phulkas, Gujarati Dal ends up making that perfect lighthearted meal you are craving for!

    Gujarati Dal Recipe

    Served with a dollop on ghee on the steamed rice or with piping hot phulkas, Gujarati Dal ends up making that perfect lighthearted meal you are craving for!
    4.17 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Indian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 262kcal
    Author: Neha Mathur

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup Tuvar Dal
    • ½ cup Tomato (Chopped)
    • 2-3 pieces Kokum
    • 1 teaspoon Green Chilli (Chopped)
    • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
    • ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
    • Salt to taste
    • ½ teaspoon Ginger Paste
    • 1 teaspoon Jaggery (grated)
    • 2 tablespoon Lemon Juice
    • 2 tablespoon Boiled Peanuts
    • 2 tablespoon Fresh Coriander (Chopped)

    For tempering

    • 2 tablespoon Ghee
    • ¼ teaspoon Hing
    • ¼ teaspoon Fenugreek Seeds
    • ½ teaspoon Mustard Seeds
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin Seeds
    • 2-3 Dry Red Chillies
    • 2-3 Cloves
    • 1 inch Cinnamon
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • 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 cracked 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.
    • Garnish with fresh coriander.
    • Serve hot with phulka or steamed rice.

    Notes

    You can add some Dhana Zeeru Powder and garam masala powder in the dal as well.
    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 if 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.
    To make a jain version of this dal, skip adding ginger and peanuts.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 262kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 587mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 380IU | Vitamin C: 40.1mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 4.6mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating





    1. Arali

      December 27, 2017 at 9:38 am

      2 stars
      woww good colour and I love all daal recipes…

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        December 28, 2017 at 2:44 am

        Thnx. Can you please change your star rating to 5 if you liked the recipe.

        Reply
    2. GST Refunds

      December 29, 2017 at 12:54 pm

      Nice post, things explained in details. Thank You.

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        January 04, 2018 at 11:02 am

        Thnx

        Reply
    3. Zen

      June 07, 2018 at 1:08 pm

      5 stars
      I tried this recipe and it turned out well. The sweetness did not overpower the taste of the spices as it so often does. Thank you 🙂

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        June 07, 2018 at 5:07 pm

        Thnx for trying 🙂

        Reply
    4. Punam Paul

      September 12, 2018 at 4:17 pm

      5 stars
      Dal is an everyday recipe in Indian kitchen. The way you presented this recipe is very good even any one cooking Dal for the first time can do it. Thumbs Up.

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        September 14, 2018 at 2:39 pm

        Thnx 🙂

        Reply
    5. TEJAS M PATEL

      April 14, 2020 at 1:09 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Neha,

      I will make this recicpe but I’m glad you didn’t add curry leaves or garlic as compared to other Gujarati dal recipies I’ve seen. This is Gujarati as it gets!!

      Reply
      • Neha Mathur

        April 15, 2020 at 2:27 am

        Thanks

        Reply

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

    Hey! Nice to meet you

    Neha Mathur, Founder & Recipe Expert at Whisk Affair

    Hi! I’m Neha, Blogger & Recipe Expert behind Whisk Affair. I’ve nurtured Whisk Affair since 2012 by trying & testing every recipe published. Be sure that it will turn out good each time! Read More about me…

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

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