Good old Toor Daal (Pigeon Pea soup) and Chawal(Rice) today. Comfort food for any day!
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I remember sneaking out to my neighbors’ house every few days when I was 9 or 10, to eat some Daal Chawal. They used to make Toor Daal every 3-4 days and mostly the same recipe. It was a simple preparation, sometimes with tomatoes, sometimes without, and just a mild Chaunk/Tadka with bay leaf and red chili. A very few times there would be mustard seeds. But mostly It was the Toor Daal(split Pigeon Pea) in all its glory.
Like all Daal(lentil soup/stew) recipes, this is very flexible to taste. Add more spices or herbs, spice mixes, different types of chili, add garlic and/or ginger. Try out Paprika, dry whole red chili or green chili, Aleppo pepper flakes, poblano.. the taste of the Daal will change.
It was sunny in Seattle after a bunch of cloudy months! That means its almost like a state holiday. Everyone is on the road. And the city looks so gorgeous.
Toor Daal with Bay Leaf and crisp Cilantro (Pigeon Pea soup) with Jeera Rice
Comfort food for any day! A vegan and gluten free recipe.
Servings: 2 servings
Calories: 213kcal
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup (177.44 g) Toor Daal Split pigeon Pea
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
Tadka/Chaunk/Tempering:
- 2 Teaspoons organic canola oil or coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) black mustard seed Raee
- 2 bay leaves tejpatta
- a generous pinch of asafetida hing
- 1 whole red chili broken into 2 or 1 green chili chopped
- 3-4 Tablespoons (3 Tablespoons) cilantro chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) turmeric
- 1 medium tomato chopped
- 3/4 - 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Variations:
- Add 1/4 teaspoon paprika or 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder to the tadka
- Add greens with the cilantro.
- Add 2-3 tomatoes.
- Add a teaspoon of Tamarind pulp
Instructions
- Wash and soak daal/lentils for half an hour. If not using pressure cooker then soak for atleast 4 hours.
- In pressure cooker or a medium deep pan, add oil and heat on medium heat.
- Test the heat by adding a few mustard seeds to the oil; if they crack immediately, the oil is ready.
- Add mustard seeds, and after a few seconds, add bay leaves and red chili/green chili, stir for 10-15 seconds.
- Add the chopped cilantro and cook for a minute or so until it crisps up.
- Add the tomatoes and turmeric. Mix well and cook covered until tomatoes are half done.(3-4 minutes)
- Rinse Daal and add with water and salt. Mix.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium, or cook covered for 20-30 minutes on medium-low, or until daal is starts to mix with the water.
- Serve hot with fresh cumin Rice.
- Add lemon juice if needed. Or serve along with some Indian Pickle/Achar.
Notes
Cumin Rice: In a deep pan, add a teaspoon of oil, add 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds, heat on medium till fragrant. Add washed 1/2 cup of Basmati rice. Mix and add 1 cup of water, 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste. Mix and cook partially covered until rice is done. Serve hot. Nutritional values based on one serving without rice
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Toor Daal with Bay Leaf and crisp Cilantro (Pigeon Pea soup) with Jeera Rice
Amount Per Serving
Calories 213 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Sodium 174mg8%
Potassium 942mg27%
Carbohydrates 49g16%
Fiber 19g79%
Sugar 8g9%
Protein 19g38%
Vitamin A 875IU18%
Vitamin C 42.1mg51%
Calcium 54mg5%
Iron 3.9mg22%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
If you have 2 hours to spare, then here is a fantastic Debate on Intelligence Squared’s 2012 series of debates. A look at the ethics of eating meat. Six speakers are divided into two teams for lively and insightful arguments for and against the proposition, ‘Animals Should Be Off the Menu’.
Speaking for the proposition are Peter Singer, Philip Wollen(who is a patron and on the Advisory board of VSPCA, India). And Veronica Ridge; against it, Adrian Richardson, Fiona Chambers and Bruce McGregor. Their cases are followed by questions from the floorand finally, the audience vote. Though I hoped that the for speakers would stick to vegan terminology more than vegetarian, it is still a very well spoken debate with amazing points by the audience too.
Char @ www.charskitchen.ca says
April 15, 2012 at 6:20 amI’m not hungry, it’s 30 mins to midnight, and yet once again you have me craving curry 😛 your dishes always look so beautifully delicious, Richa! Yum 🙂
Richa says
April 15, 2012 at 7:46 pmThanks Char! i was up, so decided to finish up the post:)
dassana says
April 15, 2012 at 6:47 ammy kind of comfort food…. out of all the dals, i like toor dal the most. give me a toor dal fry or toor dal tadka any day and i will never say no.
in fact when i became a vegetarian in my teens, i would tell my mom to make toor dal everyday for me.. and she would say.. you will get bored having it everyday… i told her…no, never… and it is still today like this…..
toor dal, rice, sabzi, kuchumber, pickle, makes a complete and comforting food for me.
lovely pics of the dal and rice… sometimes it is so difficult to photograph indian food like the dals and curries… i actually struggle in my head when i have to photograph indian food.
Richa says
April 15, 2012 at 7:48 pmwelcome to the club.. i usually am at a loss too:) I dont really like the way the pictures turned out.. but not everything ca be perfect.. the Daal of course is:)
dassana says
April 16, 2012 at 5:22 amhappens with me too… sometimes the pics don’t turn out good.
easyfoodsmith says
April 15, 2012 at 12:52 pmThis is the staple meal in our house and the most comforting too. Lovely clicks and a delicious looking dal-chawal.
Richa says
April 15, 2012 at 7:48 pmThank you! 🙂
Caitlin says
April 15, 2012 at 8:26 pmi think i need to break down and buy all of these indian spices so i can make my own indian food every night. this must taste so amazing over the rice. i wish you were my next door neighbor.
Richa says
April 16, 2012 at 6:10 amI can send you a package of spices:) then you will have to make some of the recipes!:)
Caitlin says
April 16, 2012 at 7:45 pmfor real?!?! that would be amazing!
Heather @ Better With Veggies says
April 16, 2012 at 2:53 amThis is not a meal I’ve had often, I don’t eat a lot of Indian food (which is surprising, since I love spice). It looks delicious though!
Richa says
April 16, 2012 at 6:11 amThanks Heather. You should give it a try. Daal soups are easy once you try making some!:)
cookingwithlysa says
April 16, 2012 at 11:04 amThis looks so delicious. I have to cook more indian food. I always loved the taste of indian spices & meals.
Cara says
April 16, 2012 at 2:18 pmPigeon Pea has got to me the coolest name out there for a food 🙂 I love that. And this recipe is going to be on my dinner menu (as are most all of your recipes) for the week! xo
Richa says
April 17, 2012 at 6:31 pmhehe.. i can give you lots of interesting names , then you will end up making indian food everyday!
Plateful says
April 16, 2012 at 7:19 pmOh yes, this’s comfort food. Dal tadka is a weekly fare at my place, hubby loves it, so do I 🙂 Love your pictures, Richa!
Richa says
April 17, 2012 at 6:30 pmThanks Nashira. They are half way as pretty as yours:)
archena says
April 16, 2012 at 8:21 pmDaal fry nice!
Jaya says
April 16, 2012 at 9:13 pmRicha, this looks so good!! Just happened to read your blogs and now I have bookmarked it to try new recipes!
Richa says
April 17, 2012 at 6:29 pmThanks Jaya! Do let me kno when you try some!
janet @ the taste space says
April 17, 2012 at 12:29 pmToor dal is definitely one of my favourite beans. I can’t wait to try it as simple as this. 🙂
Richa says
April 17, 2012 at 6:29 pmThanks Janet! Yes this is super simple and delicious!
Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes says
April 17, 2012 at 7:05 pmThis looks absolutely amazing Richa- I totally am in love with the simplicity of this warm hearty soup, served along side rice makes it even better.
Diane Balch says
April 20, 2012 at 2:06 pmThis has such fantastic flavors and is such a healthy dish. Please share it on my foodie friday linky today.
Amber says
April 24, 2012 at 9:50 pmThank you for sharing your recipe with us last week on AFW! Be sure to check back this week for reader favorites and hostess picks.
Be Well,
–AFW Hostesses
Myla aka Not-So-Awesome-Anymore says
June 16, 2012 at 9:07 pmI’ve never bought split piegon peas…if I can’t find could I sub with red lentils or just regular yellow split peas?
Richa says
June 16, 2012 at 10:49 pmSure, you can substitute any split peas, or other lentils.
anunrefinedvegan.com says
December 6, 2012 at 8:53 pmSo comforting!
Nina says
April 23, 2015 at 5:17 amThe house smells so good! We made for breakfast (big into dinner for brekkie over here). So flavorful. Used most of your variations: more cumin & coriander; more tomatoes, garlic, and cilantro; squeeze of lemon. Cumin seeds in rice are just lovely. Will use in other dishes. Thanks!
Richa says
April 23, 2015 at 9:57 amyay!
Janani says
October 22, 2019 at 9:34 amHi Richa. This always turns out delicious! Can this be made in the instant pot? If so, what would the cook times and water ratio be? Thanks!