Khata Mitha Dali ( sweet and sour dal)

Khatta Mitha Dali

As a kid I don't like dal that much. My mom used to have very hard time to make me eat. To make me eat dal she tried her mom's (my grand mom's) recipe of this sweet and sour dal. That became my favourite dal. It is still my most favourite. This is a very authentic Odia recipe which runs in my maternal family.

Tuar Dal- 1 Cup

Salt to taste

Haldi- 1/2tsp

Red chili powder- 1/2tsp

Oil- 1tsp

Panch Phutan- 1tbsp

Whole Red chill- 2

Tamarind- a medium marble size

Sugar- 11/2tsp

Curry Leaves- 1 string

Hing- 1/8tsp

Clean and soak tuar dal for 20 mins.

In a pressure cooker add soaked dal, water 1 1/2cup, salt to taste, haldi Powder and red chilli Powder. Cook the dal for 2 whistles (1 in high and 2nd in low).  Now allow it to cool down.

Soak the tamarind in hot water for 15 mins. After 15 mins make pulp out of it.

Heat oil in another Kadai add whole red chilli breaking it into 2. Then add panch phutan and hing to it and let the spices crackle in oil. Then add curry leaves to it and saute.

Now add boiled dal to it and allow it to boil for some time. Then add tamarind pulp and sugar to it. Let it boil for some mins and switch off the gas.

Dal is ready to serve. It goes really well with plain rice.