Ingredients
1 cup plain or oily toovar dal, picked over
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil
Generous pinch of ground asafetida (available at Indian markets or kalustyans.com)
1 teaspoon whole black or brown mustard seeds
1 to 3 fresh hot green chiles, such as bird’s-eye, Indian long, or serrano, cut in half lengthwise (leaving stem ends intact)
1 dried hot red chile
3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half lengthwise
10 to 12 fresh curry leaves (available at Indian markets or ishipindian.com), lightly crushed
Preparation
Place dal in a bowl; cover with water. If using oily dal, rub with hands to remove oil; if plain, just wash it. Pour out water. Repeat 5 or 6 times, or until water is mostly clear. Cover with water one more time; let soak 30 minutes.
Drain dal and transfer to a medium saucepan; add 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, skimming foam. Stir in turmeric. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Mash with a potato masher. Stir in 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste), then about 1 cup water, until desired consistency is reached. Cook over medium-low heat 5 minutes more.
Heat oil in a very small pan over medium-high; add asafetida. A few seconds later, add mustard seeds. As soon as they pop – a matter of seconds – add both chiles and garlic. Stir until garlic turns light brown on both sides. Add curry leaves (take care, as mixture will splatter) and stir once, then immediately tip contents of pan over dal. Cover to entrap aromas. Stir before serving. Toovar dal can be stored in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days; reheat gently before serving.
