Methi Toor Dal Dry, with Caramelized Onions

Methi toor dal dry was a revelation when I first tasted it. I was keen to learn what ingredients and techniques went into preparing this flavorful dish. My friend’s mom who had cooked the meal for us assured me that the secret was just a generous addition of onions,  and the patience to caramelize said onions on low heat.

After two failed attempts at making methi toor dal dry, I would add another dimension to the “secret” – cooking the toor dal just right. Never before had I cooked toor this way  – soft, flaky, each dal pearl boiled enough to crush when pressed, not so much that it turns pulpy/soupy. It’s fairly easy to get chana dal or moong dal cooked to this texture (cases in point: yellow moong sundal, sookhi chana dal, boiled green moong salad), but toor is tricky: pebble-like one moment, slush the next. Well, it CAN be done if we set our minds to it – PSA: that’s half the game in this recipe!

You Need:

• Fenugreek leaves – 100 grams (~1 cup of loosely packed leaves)
• Toor dal – 1/2 cup
• Onions – 2 large (~2 cups when chopped)
• Salt – to taste
• Powdered dark jaggery – 1/4 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – 1/4 teaspoon
• Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste) [buy on Amazon]
• Oil – 1 tablespoon

How To Make Methi Toor Dal Dry, with Caramelized Onions:

1. Boil toor dal

Wash toor dal in several changes of water, till the water runs clear.

To boil the dal, follow one of the two approaches below:

Approach 1 – using an Indian-style pressure cooker: Soak the dal for 15 minutes. Drain. Transfer the washed and soaked toor dal to a pressure cooker.

Add in 3 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric. Lock the lid. Cook on high heat till the cooker gives off one whistle. Let the pressure cooker cool enough to let the lid comes off easily.

Approach 2 – using an open pan: Soak the dal for 2 hours, or till the dal has plumped up. Drain. Transfer the washed and soaked toor dal to a thick-bottomed pan. Add in 4 cups of water and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric. Cook on high heat till the water comes to a bubbling boil, then set the heat to low-medium and continue to cook with the pan partially covered. Keep an eye on the consistency of the dal – take the pan off the heat when the dal pearls have softened. The time it takes can vary depending on the size/thickness of the vessel, so it’s best to test the doneness of the dal by picking some out and trying to squash it. If squashing works, the dal is done.

[I prefer Approach 1 as it’s far quicker – but Approach 2 does give you greater control over getting the dal cooked just right.]

Drain the water out and retain the boiled dal.

Tip: Do not discard the water used for boiling toor dal. Use it to thin out soup stock or curries, or to knead chapatis.

2. Chop the vegetables

Pluck fenugreek leaves from their steams. Discard the stems. Wash the leaves well.

Peel and chop the onions finely.

3. Cook the onions

Heat a tablespoon of oil in a wide pan.

When the oil is hot, tip in the chopped onions.

Sauté the onions on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

Continue to cook till the onions have turned golden-brown. This process will take about 15mins. [Note: Do not attempt to rush it by cranking up the heat, it won’t give you the same result!]

When the onions are nicely browned, add the fenugreek leaves.

4. Put it all together

Cook the onions along with fenugreek on high heat for a couple of minutes, or till the leaves have wilted.

Transfer the cooked dal to the pan, along with red chili powder, jaggery and salt to taste.

Mix well, taking care not to break the soft dal pearls in the process.

Once the dal has blended well with the other ingredients (1-2 mins), switch off the heat.

Methi toor dal dry with caramelized onions is ready.

Serve warm alongside chapatis/parathas or rice. Carries well in the lunchbox too – no-spill dal is a blessing!

Meal in the pic below (clockwise from top-right): green beans with shredded coconut, methi toor dal dry with caramelized onions, brown rice, pomegranate raita.

Notes:

Like the idea of dry cooked dals in Indian recipes? Check our mooli lachcha sabzi. Or if you want to browse through the recipes using methi, check out the category page: fenugreek recipes.