In a small pan, heat oil or ghee or butter. First, fry the cumin seeds.
2
Next, add the garlic and green chili and fry for some seconds. Don't brown the garlic. Switch off the flame.
3
Now add the garam masala powder, red chili powder, and asafoetida. Switching off the flame earlier ensures that the spice powders don't get burned.
4
Quickly stir and immediately pour the tempering mixture into the dal.
5
Stir the dal and serve hot with steamed rice or chapatis.
6
The moong dal tadka tastes better as it is, and there is no need to garnish or add coriander leaves to it. But if you want, you can always garnish with some coriander leaves. For a slight tang, you can also squeeze some lemon juice.
Notes
7
Soaking: You can soak the lentils for 20 to 30 minutes, and this will speed up the cooking time.
8
Green Chillies: You can use serrano peppers instead of the Indian green chillies. You can even replace the green chillies with dried red chillies.
9
Consistency: You can have a thick, medium, or thin consistency of the dal by adding less or more water later.
10
Asafoetida: If you do not have asafoetida, skip it.
11
Spicing: You can decrease or increase the herbs & spices like red chili powder, green chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds according to your preferences. But do not increase the amount of turmeric powder.
Ingredients
Main
½cup moong dal (split skinned mung lentils)
⅓cupfinely chopped onions
1medium size tomato - chopped
½inch ginger (adrak) - finely chopped or grated
¼tspred chili powder or cayenne pepper
⅓tspturmeric powder (ground turmeric)
1 ½cupswater
Salt as required
For Tempering
1tspcumin seeds
5small to medium-sized garlic - crushed lightly
¼tspGaram Masala Powder, more to taste
¼tspred chili powder or cayenne pepper
1green chilli - slit
A pinch of asafoetida (hing) - optional
3tbspoil or ghee or butter
Directions
1
In a small pan, heat oil or ghee or butter. First, fry the cumin seeds.
2
Next, add the garlic and green chili and fry for some seconds. Don't brown the garlic. Switch off the flame.
3
Now add the garam masala powder, red chili powder, and asafoetida. Switching off the flame earlier ensures that the spice powders don't get burned.
4
Quickly stir and immediately pour the tempering mixture into the dal.
5
Stir the dal and serve hot with steamed rice or chapatis.
6
The moong dal tadka tastes better as it is, and there is no need to garnish or add coriander leaves to it. But if you want, you can always garnish with some coriander leaves. For a slight tang, you can also squeeze some lemon juice.
Notes
7
Soaking: You can soak the lentils for 20 to 30 minutes, and this will speed up the cooking time.
8
Green Chillies: You can use serrano peppers instead of the Indian green chillies. You can even replace the green chillies with dried red chillies.
9
Consistency: You can have a thick, medium, or thin consistency of the dal by adding less or more water later.
10
Asafoetida: If you do not have asafoetida, skip it.
11
Spicing: You can decrease or increase the herbs & spices like red chili powder, green chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin seeds according to your preferences. But do not increase the amount of turmeric powder.
