Lala Musa Dal – Undivided India Style

Step 1: Prepare Dals for Pressure Cooking

Place a pressure cooker on high flame. Add 2 cups of soaked Bengal Gram (Chana Dal), 1 cup of soaked Red Lentils (Masoor Dal), and 1 cup of soaked Black Gram (Urad Dal without skin) to the cooker. Add a 1-inch knob of ginger (whole), 3 whole green chillies, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, and salt as per taste. Pour in water as required, ensuring the dals are adequately covered.

Step 2: Pressure Cook the Dals

Stir the contents well. Close the pressure cooker and cook on low flame for 20 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the cooker.

Step 3: Mash and Discard Ginger

Once the pressure is released, open the cooker. Stir the cooked dal to mash the Masoor Dal and Urad Dal, while ensuring the Chana Dal retains a perfect bite. Carefully pull out and discard the whole ginger knob.

Step 4: Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)

Place a kadhai (wok) on the flame. Add 1/4 cup of ghee and let it melt. Add 1 sliced onion and fry until it turns golden brown. Then, add 1 tbsp of chopped garlic and continue frying until both the onions and garlic are beautifully golden brown.

Step 5: Combine Dal with Tempering and Spices

Once the browning is achieved, add the cooked dal from the pressure cooker into the kadhai. Sprinkle 1 tsp of black pepper powder and 1 tsp of roasted cumin seeds powder. Mix all the ingredients well, ensuring everything is thoroughly combined.

Step 6: Thicken the Dal

Keep stirring the dal constantly on medium flame to evaporate any excess water. Continue this process until the dal becomes thicker and denser, and the ghee starts releasing from the sides of the pan. At this stage, check for salt and adjust as required.

Step 7: Serve Lala Musa Dal

Transfer the Lala Musa Dal to a serving dish. Create a small well in the center of the dal and drizzle extra ghee into it. Garnish with a fresh green chilli and chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with paratha or your preferred bread.

• Soaking the dals overnight helps reduce cooking time significantly.

• Adjust the amount of green chillies and black pepper powder according to your spice preference.

• The dal can be served with paratha, roti, or rice.

• For a traditional method, cook the dals on an open flame for 1.5 hours instead of pressure cooking.

• For a richer flavor, add more ghee during the tempering process and for drizzling.