I have fond memories of monsoon days and this daal being cooked by my mummy.
I don’t know what’s the relation between rains and this kaali khatti daal, but my mother made it always during the monsoon season. Oh sweet memories! This daal served over rice, eaten along mint chutney, used to be pure bliss. The sour and somewhat flavors of sweet raw mango compliments this sabit masoor (brown lentils) so well.
Ingredients needed for the recipe
Notes:
- You can use Berglinsen (available at the German stores instead of the brown lentils from the Indian store). The cooking time will have to be adjusted according to packet instructions.
- If green mango is not easily available to you, you may skip it and add dry mango powder (available at Indian stores) or lemon juice instead.
Kaali Khatti Daal
The combination of brown lentils and green mango is a match made in heaven.
Ingredients
For the daal:
- 200 grams (1 cup) brown lentils (sabit masoor)
- 2 small green mangoes (peeled and roughly diced)
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 cloves garlic
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 8-10 mint leaves
- 800 ml (2½ cups) water
For the tarka:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
Instructions
- Add all the daal ingredients into a pot/ pressure cooker. Cook until tender. If using a pressure cooker, it will take about 10-12 minutes. If cooking on a pot, it will take about 20-30 minutes.
- Mash the daal using a potato masher. If you prefer a very smooth consistency, you may use a stab mixer to puree the daal. Set aside.
- Heat a pan/skillet on medium heat and add oil. Once hot, add the sliced garlic and fry for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously . Once the garlic starts to get a golden color, add the cumin seeds and fry until they start to crackle (about a minute). Add the tarka to the daal (be careful as it might splatter) and stir to combine.
- Serve over basmati rice or brown rice, along mint chutney.