Heeng Dal Tadka | Tomato Pulao | No Onion No Garlic

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For Yummy Heeng Dal Tadka, in a cooker, add soaked chana dal, ghee, turmeric, salt, and slit green chillies. Cook for 2-3 whistles, ensuring the dal stays soft but not mashed. In a small bowl, mix water, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli powder, and coriander powder. (We add water to the spices because there’s no onion or tomato to release extra moisture while cooking, which prevents the spices from burning.)

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For the tadka, heat a fresh pan and temper asafoetida, dry red chillies, mustard seeds, cumin, green chillies, ginger (optional), and curry leaves on low flame. Add the spiced slurry to the pan. When the tadka starts releasing oil, add the cooked dal and bring it to a boil, ensuring the consistency is thin, as chana dal thickens once it cools. Once fully cooked, add salt, chopped coriander, and lemon juice. Your Heeng Dal Tadka is ready!

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For Tomato Pulao, soak basmati rice for 45 minutes or, if using sela (a thicker variety of rice), soak it for an hour.

Roughly chop the tomatoes. Heat some oil in a pot and temper cumin, peppercorns, star anise, black cardamom, slit green chillies, and chopped ginger (optional). Add kasuri methi, chopped tomatoes, salt, and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Stir-fry on high heat for 2 minutes, then add water and bring it to a boil. Add the soaked rice and cook on high heat.

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Once the water reaches the same level as the rice, lower the flame, cover with a lid, and cook until the water is absorbed. Once the water is fully gone, turn off the flame and let the rice sit with the lid on for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove the lid, and your tangy-savoury pulao is ready!