Gujarati Dal

Ingredients:

• arhar dal (toovar dal)
• hing
• sugar
• ginger
• green chillies
• tomatoes
• cooking oil
• rai seeds
• methi seeds
• dry red chillies
• haldi
• chilli powder
• salt
• corriander leaves
  

Method:
Boil the dal to a very soft consistency with hing and pinch of sugar. Grind ginger and green chillies to form a paste. Chop up a good amount of red tomatoes.
Heat oil. Put baghar (tadka) of rai, methi, hing and whole dry red chillies. Add the masala paste and tomatoes along with haldi, chilli powder, salt and sugar. Whisk the dal till it is very smooth - no grains should remain.Add this to the masala when it is well cooked. Add water to get desired consistency.Boil on low heat for 15-20 minutes. Check the sugar and salt. Add chopped corriander just before serving.
Variation: the taste can be changed by doing baghar differently.
1) baghar of rai, methi, hing, dry chillies whole, jeera and cloves. Add grated copra to the dal and boil.
2) Curry patta can be added in baghar.
3) Vegetables such as bhindi or karela can also be added.