Dal Thoy

Name: Dal Thoy
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 0.75 cup toor dal (rinsed and soaked); 3 cup water; 2 pcs green chili (slit); 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tbsp ghee; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 4 pcs garlic (cloves, lightly crushed); 2 pcs dried red chili (broken); 8 pcs curry leaves

RATING

4.4/5(63)

TASTE SCORE

7/10

A gentle coastal lentil dish from the Konkan belt, Dal Thoy is light, smooth, and deeply comforting. Cooked to a soft texture and finished with a simple tempering, it is perfect with rice and a vegetable side.

PREP

10m

COOK

25m

SERVES

1 KATORI

167 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 6 STEPS

prep · ~30 min
Rinse and soak the dal.
Wash the toor dal well until the water runs clearer. Soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes, then drain.
pressure cook · ~20 min
Cook the dal until very soft.
1.Add the soaked toor dal to a pressure cooker with water, green chili, and turmeric powder.
2.Cook on medium heat for 4 whistles, then let the pressure drop naturally.
3.Open the cooker and mash the dal lightly until smooth.
TIPDal Thoy should be soft and pourable, so mash it more than you would for a chunky dal.
simmer · ~5 min
Adjust the dal and season it.
Pour the cooked dal into a pot if needed and add salt. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, adding a little more water if it looks too thick.
temper · ~2 min
Make the tempering.
1.Heat ghee in a small pan over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add garlic, dried red chili, and curry leaves.
4.Cook for 30 to 40 seconds until the garlic smells fragrant and turns lightly golden.
TIPDo not let the garlic get dark brown or the tempering will taste bitter.
assemble · ~1 min
Pour the tempering over the dal.
Add the hot tempering to the simmering dal and mix gently. Let it bubble for 1 minute so the flavors come together.
serve
Serve hot with rice.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Mash the pressure-cooked toor dal while still hot for the smooth, pourable texture Dal Thoy is known for.
2
If the dal thickens as it sits, loosen it with hot water while reheating so it stays light rather than pasty.
3
Let the pressure drop naturally; quick-releasing can leave the dal less creamy and slightly unevenly cooked.
4
Add salt only after the dal is cooked soft, which helps it break down more easily during cooking.
5
Pour the tempering over actively simmering dal so the ghee, garlic, and curry leaf aroma spreads through the whole pot.
6
Keep the garlic just lightly golden in the tadka; darker garlic will overpower this otherwise delicate dal.
7
Serve it fresh with plain rice and a dry vegetable side, since Dal Thoy is meant to be mild and fluid.