Handi Ki Dal

Dal Chawal is an ultimate comfort food in my house. Thick, creamy, spicy, tasty, dal/lentils cooked to perfection and poured over steaming hot rice make a delicious dinner. Although we are in spring and afternoons and beautiful, temperatures drop in the evening. And that is the time we crave for comfort food.

Handi ki Dal is a rustic recipe of slow cooking lentils in a claypot over charcoal. Claypot imparts delicious flavor to the food and is said to be nutritious too. Our ancestors cooked food in claypots so why can't we? My husband and I enjoy the recipes made on charcoal. My husband lights up the little Grill or Sigdi (as called in India) while I prep the ingredients. We can then just sit back, leave dal to cook and simmer, and it will be creamy and delicious. Claypot heats up very fast and also has the tendency to retain a lot of heat. Cooking is quick in claypots!

I was inspired by Brijdeep Kaur's dal bhukhara recipe. It has been on my to-do list since long, but have not bought the lentils needed for that recipe. Here I used her recipe partially: I used her idea of using milk to cook lentils. Some day I will really try her recipe: Dal Bukhara by Brijdeep Kaur!

Here is my Handi Ki Dal recipe:
Ingredients: (serves 3-4 people)
3/4 cup whole black urad
1/2 cup rajma
1 cup milk
4 cups water
3 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 medium onion chopped
3 medium tomatoes chopped
1 tbsp. finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic
1 green chili chopped
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. red chili powder
1 tbsp. coriander powder
Salt to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon

• Soak whole black and urad and rajma in 2 cups of water for 5-6 hours or overnight.
• In a clay put, add soaked urad and rajma beans, 3 cups of water, and 1 tsp, salt. Place it on charcoal or stove and boil covered for 15 minutes.
• Add milk and let the lentils boil for another 30 minutes till tender. You can add more water if needed.
• When tender, slightly mash cooked beans with a ladle.
• In a separate pan heat ghee, add cumin seeds. Saute onions, ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender. Add a pinch of salt, turmeric, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Saute for a minute. Add this cooked gravy into cooked lentil mixture. Mix well.
• Place the claypot covered on charcoal to simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour.  Add more salt if needed.
• When done, add juice of fresh lemon.
• Serve with steamed rice or roti.

 Step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Soak whole black and urad and rajma in 2 cups of water for 5-6 hours or overnight.

In a clay put, add soaked urad and rajma beans, 3 cups of water, and 1 tsp, salt. Place it on charcoal or stove and boil covered for 15 minutes.

Add milk and let the lentils boil for another 30 minutes till tender. You can add more water if needed.

When tender, slightly mash cooked beans with a ladle.

In a separate pan heat ghee, add cumin seeds. Saute onions, ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Add chopped tomatoes. Cook till tomatoes are tender. Add a pinch of salt, turmeric, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Saute for a minute. Add this cooked gravy into cooked lentil mixture. Mix well.

Place the claypot covered  on charcoal to simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour.

When done, add juice of fresh lemon.

Serve with steamed rice or roti.

Enjoy this rustic slow cooked dal!

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