Dhaba Dal

Ingredients

5 cups water

1 cup urad dal (split black gram)

1/2 tsp turmeric

Salt

For tempering:

1 Tbsp butter

1 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp garlic

2 green chillies, slit

1 small onion, minced

1 small tomato, chopped

1/4 cup tomato puree

2 tsp dhabba tadka mix

Juice of one lemon

For dhabba tadka mix:

1 Tbsp jeera

1 1/2 Tbsp dhaniya seeds

1 tsp fennel seeds or saunf

1 tsp whole cloves

1/2 inch cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder

1/4 tsp ground mace (Javitri powder)

1 tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste

Method

Cook the dal with salt and turmeric in it.

To make the dhaba tadka mix:

Dry roast the whole spices (cumin, coriander seeds, saunf, cloves and cinnamon) on a tawa.

Add the turmeric powder, chilli, javitri powder and roast some more. Add the salt. Make a fine powder of the spices. You can store this powder.

For the dal:

In a deep pan, take a tablespoon of white butter, fry the zeera, ginger and garlic.

Then add the onions till they turn translucent.

Pour in the cooked dal, add salt, green chillies and the chopped tomatoes.

After one minute, add the tomato puree, and the dhaba tadka mix.

Top it up with lime juice.