Power Lentil!

Take your favorite dal (lentil) to the next level by adding some of your favorite spices and veggies. Power lentil is packed with taste and loaded with nutrition, and goes well with both rice and roti. Let your ‘everyday lentil’ rest for a day, and let this ‘gourmet lentil’ show its magic today.

INGREDIENTS:

• Urad dal – ½ cup
• Chopped Onion – 4-5 tbsp
• Brinjal/Eggplant – 8 small cubes
• Drumstick – 6 medium size sticks
• Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 6
• Ginger-garlic paste – ½ tsp
• Oil – 2 tbsp
• Turmeric powder – a pinch
• Salt – to taste
• Coriander leaves – to sprinkle on top
• Lemon juice – from half a lemon

For masala –

METHOD:

• Boil lentil in a pressure cooker with turmeric power, salt and ginger-garlic paste, using 1 ½ cup of water. Let it whistle 2-3 times or till the dal is completely muggy.
• Take a medium size pot. Pour oil and let it heat till you get a warm smell. Temper the oil with mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Let it splutter for a while. Add onions and stir it around till it becomes soft.
• Add eggplants and drumsticks, and a pinch of turmeric powder for color. Add salt. Saute for a bit. Pour 2 cups of water, close the lid and let it cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes.
• In the meantime, process the ingredients jotted down under masala in a blender. Add drops of water so that it spins smoothly. The consistency of this paste should be thick.
• Check for the veggies. If it’s cooked, add the lentil and rinse off the residue from the cooker with 2-3 tbsp of water (do not use too much water as we want the final consistency thick, not watery). Sometimes, drumsticks takes time to cook, longer than eggplant so if it’s still raw, you can cook them in the same pressure cooker using ½ cup water for 5 minutes. Or, add drumstick in the pressure cooker while cooking lentil, and let them cook together. After it’s done, dump it in the pot and let it mingle around with the lentil.
• Squeeze lemon juice in the mix and put the masala paste. Stir around. Close the lid and let it simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust salt. Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy the power packed lentil meal.

Yield – 2 servings