Raw Mango Dal combines the tartness of raw mango with tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils). It’s one of those recipes that you wouldn’t mind trying it!
Mango – “King of Fruits”
The tangy-tart flavor of raw mangoes makes it a popular ingredient in many spring/ summer recipes. From salsa to juices to salad to appetizers to pickles to seasoning…Phew! Mango can be a delightful part of any recipe.
You may also like: Raw Mango Rice, Khatti Dal, Phiki Dal
Dal And Rice!
Dal and rice is hands down favorite food or you can say, favorite “comfort” food of many Indian across the globe (including me!). Together they are addictively aromatic and one of the all-time great flavour combinations.
Dal is one ingredient that has a long and important connect with Indian cuisine. It’s happy combination with rice has many health benefits as well.
Lentils are rich in dietary fiber and rice is a more equal partner in overall nutrition.
Dishes with lentils (dal) and rice have a dominant presence and a staple in cuisines from Middle east to India.
About the Recipe…
I used tuvar dal (or pigeon pea lentils) for this recipe. The cooked dal is tempered and simmered with onions, tomatoes, drumsticks (Moringa oleifera), raw mango and basic spices.
The cooking technique is similar to the Khatti Dal (sour lentils) recipe I posted a while back. I replaced the tamarind pulp with mango. Instead of using pearl red onions, I used chopped onions. The sweetness from onions balances out the tartness of raw mango.
It’s always good to incorporate seasonal fruits and vegetables in your meals/ diet. Raw mango dal is one way of doing it.
There are many versions to make “Raw Mango Dal” with or without tomatoes. The important factor while making this recipe is to balance out the flavors of it’s ingredients and let them do the talking! Food for thought.
Raw Mango Dal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup Tuvar/ Toor dal (Pigeon Pea Lentil) Pigeon Pea Lentils
- 1 cup Raw Mango chopped
- 1/2 cup Red Onion chopped
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste or 2 medium sized red tomatoes, chopped
- 7-8 nos Moringa Oliefera 2 inch pieces each of peeled drumsticks (optional)
- 2 springs curry leaves or 10-12 curry leaves
- 3 whole Dried red chilli
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- a pinch Asafetida or hing (optional)
- 1 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder adjust it according to your preference
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
- 2 tbsp Cilantro chopped
- 2-3 nos Green chili or Thai green chili (1/2 inch pieces) or jalapeño
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt to taste
- Water as required
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, wash the dal (lentils) thoroughly twice and soak it in water for 15 minutes (this will tenderize the dal and will cook faster).
- Transfer the contents of the bowl to a pressure cooker and add sufficient water for cooking. Give it 3 whistles on medium flame. Let it cool. Once cooled mash the dal into a fine paste and keep it aside. (Instapot: 1:3 lentil to water ratio. 7 mins high pressure and 15 mins NPR)
- While the dal is cooking, prep all the vegetables required.
- In a medium cooking pot, heat oil and add curry leaves, dried red chili, mustard and cumin seeds and asafetida. Let it cook for a minute.
- Next add the chopped onions and cook until they are translucent and pink.
- Now add red chili powder, turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste. Cook for another minute.
- Next add drumsticks and cook for a minute. Add sufficient water to cover the drumsticks.
- Once the water evaporates, and the drumsticks are cooked, add the tomato paste (or chopped tomatoes). Cook for another 7-8 minutes. If using the paste, add water to dissolve it.
- Next add the chopped mango and cook for a minute. Add sufficient water to cover the mango pieces. Bring it to a boil and let the mixture boil for another 7-8 minutes.
- To the boiling mixture add the dal paste and sufficient water to get a desired consistency. I kept it running to allow sufficient boiling (boiling tends to make the consistency of dal thicker).
- Add salt and green chilis and bring it to a boil. Let it boil for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat and transfer dal to a serving dish. Garnish with cilantro.
- Serve it with plain steaming rice or your curry of choice. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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