Gujarati dal

Method

1. 1 Cook lentils with turmeric for 30 minutes, then mash them until the lentil broth is smooth and thin.
2. 2 Pour in the tamarind juice and add the palm sugar, then simmer for 10 minutes.
3. 3 The Gujarati version balances the sweetness of palm sugar with the sourness of tamarind, unlike the northern dal which is only salty and spicy.
4. 4 The broth should be thin enough to be drunk from a cup, not thick like curry.
5. 5 Sauté mustard seeds in ghee until they pop, then add curry leaves, ginger, and green chilies.
6. 6 Pour the sautéed herbs into the soup pot, sprinkle with fresh herbs, and turn off the heat.

With an appliance

• Pressure cooker 33 min

  Replace step 1: cook lentils with turmeric under high pressure for 8 minutes, then release pressure naturally for 5 minutes; this reduces cooking time by about 17 minutes compared to the usual 30 minutes, resulting in evenly tender lentils that thicken naturally without needing constant monitoring. Step 2 continues to simmer with tamarind and sugar until the liquid is thin and the flavor is balanced.