Food & Cooking Recipes Lunch Recipes Toovar Dal Be the first to rate & review! By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on January 22, 2019 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Jake Stangel Prep Time: 35 mins Total Time: 1 hr 50 mins Servings: 4 Also known as dali saar, this recipe originally hails from the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmins of Coastal Kannada and comes to us via Madhur Jaffrey. Saar means "juice" or "juice-like," so this dal tends to be very thin, and is meant to be eaten with rice. The cooking talents of brides used to be judged by their ability to make a simple dali saar. Ingredients 1 cup plain or oily toovar dal, picked over ½ 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 Directions 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. Cook's Notes Oily toovar dal, which has been cleaned and oil-rinsed to preserve freshness, can be found at Indian groceries or kalustyans.com. This recipe doubles and even triples easily, and it's well worth doing so, as you'll want to have this around for more than one meal. In step 3, the spices should be in the oil just long enough to start popping and become fragrant: Too long and they'll burn, so have everything on hand ahead of time. Rate it Print