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raw mango tadka dal

RAW MANGO DAL

Simple, comforting, tangy, mildly spiced and with chunks of cooked raw mango, this lentil curry using arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils and a few minimal spices is our current favorite dal to enjoy with rice this mango season!
Course Brunch, Lunch
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 3
Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

  • ½ cup toor dal/arhar dal/split pigeon peas
  • 1 cup peeled and chopped raw mangoes
  • 1-2 slit green chilies/jalapenos/Serrano peppers
  • ¼ teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
  • Dash of black pepper powder
  • Salt to taste
  • A tablespoon or so of jaggery or any sweetener optional

FOR THE TADKA

  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil or ghee if not vegan
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon urad dal
  • 1 dry red chili
  • ¼ teaspoon hing/asafetida powder
  • ½ teaspoon of grated ginger optional
  • Few curry leaves
  • Coriander leaves or cilantro for garnish

Instructions

  1. First step is to soak and cook the dal.
  2. Soak 1/2 cup of toor dal (after washing thoroughly) in water for about 20-30 minutes. This step is optional, but helps in hastening the cooking process and aids in digestion too.
  3. Pressure cook dal with plenty of water in a stove top pressure cooker (for 2-3 whistles) or Instant Pot (for 5 minutes).
  4. Once cooked, mash slightly. You can either make a smooth dal mixture or leave it slightly coarse for a lovely dal like texture!
  5. Add 1/4 teaspoon haldi or turmeric powder and a dash of black pepper powder along with 2 slit green chilies. Mix well.
  6. If cooking mango separately, peel mangoes, chop and cook in water until just cooked but not mushy! The cooking time depends upon the quality of the mango. Some cook fast and some need a bit more time.
  7. Add the cooked raw mango to the pressure cooked dal. Gently stir and add salt to taste.
  8. Bring to a boil on medium heat and once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 3-4 minutes.
  9. While the dal is simmering, prepare the final tadka or tempering... the oomph factor in any Indian dish/curry/dal etc.
  10. In a small saucepan, add 2 tablespoons coconut oil and when hot, add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds. Wait for the seeds to pop and splutter.
  11. Then add 1/4 teaspoon urad dal (split black lentils), 1/2 teaspoon jeera, 2 roughly cut dry red chilies, a dash of hing or asafetida powder and a few curry leaves.
  12. (If using grated ginger, add at this stage).
  13. Heat for a minute or so.
  14. Add tadka to the simmering mango dal and gently stir.
  15. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro or coriander leaves and serve piping hot over steamed rice.
  16. Goes so good with chapatis, rotis, parathas too.
  17. Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!

Recipe Notes

  • Adjust amount of spices according to personal taste.
  • For more flavor and if you prefer it, you can add some chopped onions and a couple of cloves of garlic in the tadka.
  • To balance the sourness/tanginess of mango in the curry, stir in some sweetener like jaggery or even brown sugar or plain sugar. This is optional.
  • Adjust the consistency of dal to your liking. Some enjoy it thick and some a bit diluted.
  • Enjoy and Happy Cooking.