Tomato Moong dal

We  like to prepare any dal varities with tur dal or red gram dal.But making with moong dal also gives yammy taste like red gram dal.This is very  good combination  to eat with chapaties or pulkas.Iam adding lemon juice instead of  tamarind.If you do not like to add lemon juice ,you can add tamarind flakes 1 or 2 only .With out adding tamarind or lemon there is no change in the taste. Moong dal  is good for children and also  gives good taste to the recipes.

Ingredients

tomato	4
moong dal	1 cup
onion	1
green chillies	5
lemon	2
turmeric	1/4 spoon
salt	to taste
oil	1/2 spoon
ghee	1/2 spoon
mustard seeds	1/4 spoon
dry chillies	2
cumin seeds	1/4 spoon
garlic cloves	5
curry leaves	few
asafoetida	pinch

Preparation

Add tomatoes ,onions and green chillies in the salt  water for 15 to 20 minutes.
Clean the moongdal(pick all small stones or any small insects).After that Wash moong dal with water and soak for 15 minutes.
Cut tomatoes into small pieces.
Cut onions and green chillies into small pieces.
Remove upper layer of garlic cloves or crush the garlic cloves.
Squeez lemon juice from lemons.keep in the fridge till use in cooking.

Method

1.Take a cooking vessel and add soaked moong dal and  2 cups of water and put on the flame.
2.Do not put the lid completely.when dal is boiling foam coming out from the dal.That may be over flow and  put off the flame if lid covered completely.
3.When dal is cooked add tomato pieces,onion and green chilli pieces,turmeric ,salt and 2 cups of water and cook till tomato pieces become tender and mix with dal very well.
4.Add lemon juice and put off the flame.
5.Put a pan on the flame.add oil when pan is heated.
6.When oil is heated add ghee .
7.After melting the ghee add mustard seeds.
8.When they started to splutter add crushed garlic cloves and fry till become dark colour.
9.Then add cumin seeds and dry chillies and fry for 20 seconds.
10.Finally add asafoetida and curry leaves.and put off the flame.

Simple method

Take a pressure cooker and add all vegetable pieces(tomato,onion,green chillies) and turmeric,soaked moong dal and add 2 cups of water add cook till 3 whistles.
When the pressure is completely  coming out from the cooker then open the lid and add salt and mash the dal with masher.
add seasonings.mix all well.This is very easy method.But it is better to follow when you do not have enough time to prepare this recipe.

Keep in the mind

Soak the moong dal atleast 15 minutes because soaking dals easy to digest and not gives any gastric problems.
Add salt only after dal is completely cooked.If you add salt before cooking  dal it is not cooked the dal completely or smoothly.
Adding lemon juice is optional .You can add tamarind flake also.
Garlic cloves have the nature to splutter in the oil if you doing unproper removing  of upper layer or not crushed well.
Add asafoetida  in any dal varities .asafoetida has the nature to improve  digestion and also gives good aroma to the recipe.