Authentic Gujarati Dal: A Traditional Wedding Dish

Gujarati Wedding Dal, also known as Gujarati Lagan Dal, is a traditional dish served at weddings. It is an aromatic dish made from split pigeon peas, peanuts, and whole spices, with a sour, spicy, and slightly sweet flavour. The dish is typically served with rice, creating a classic Gujarati dal-bhaat experience. While the recipe may seem intimidating due to its lengthy list of ingredients, it is surprisingly easy to prepare. In this article, we will guide you through the process of making this delicious and comforting dish, perfect for a festive occasion or a cosy meal at home.

How to make Gujarati dal in a pressure cooker

Gujarati dal is a sweet, spicy, and tangy lentil soup made with pigeon peas, warming spices, and jaggery. Here is a detailed recipe for how to make it in a pressure cooker:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of split pigeon pea (toor dal), rinsed
• 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil
• 1 green chilli pepper, slit or chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, grated
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of peanuts
• 2 tablespoons of jaggery
• 1 teaspoon of lime juice, adjust to taste
• Cilantro leaves, to garnish
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 dried red chilli whole
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
• 7-8 curry leaves
• 1 pinch of asafoetida (optional, skip for gluten-free)
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder

Instructions:

• Start by heating the ghee/oil in the pressure cooker. Add all the tempering ingredients (mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, dried red chilli, and curry leaves) and sauté for 30 seconds.
• Add the ginger, tomato, and spices (turmeric, red chilli powder). Sauté for another minute.
• Add the dal, water, and peanuts. Stir well.
• Close the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for 7-8 whistles on medium-high heat.
• Let the pressure release naturally, then open the cooker and remove the bowl of peanuts using tongs.
• Add 2-3 cups of water (adjust according to your desired consistency). Gujarati dal is typically on the thinner side, so adding more water is recommended.
• Using an immersion blender, blend the dal until it's uniform and smooth.
• Add the jaggery and use a whisk to mash the dal.
• Sprinkle the lime juice and garnish with cilantro.
• Serve hot with rice or roti.

How to make Gujarati dal without a pressure cooker

Ingredients

• 1 cup of toor dal (also known as arhar dal or pigeon peas lentil)
• 1.5 teaspoons of salt, divided
• 1.5 tablespoons of raw peanuts
• 3/4 teaspoon of turmeric
• 5-6 cups of water, divided
• 1/3 cup of chopped tomato
• 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
• 1 green chilli, sliced
• 2.5 tablespoons of jaggery powder or a small piece of jaggery
• 3/4 teaspoon of coriander powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala
• 1/4 teaspoon of red chilli powder (add more to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon of hing (asafoetida), use gluten-free hing to make this gluten-free
• 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 8-10 curry leaves
• Cilantro, chopped, to garnish

Instructions

• Add the toor dal/arhar dal, 1 teaspoon of salt, turmeric powder, peanuts, and 3 cups of water to a large pan. Bring to a boil.
• Boil for 30-35 minutes or until the dal is mushy. Add a teaspoon of oil to the pot to reduce the amount of foam that builds up inside the pot. Do not leave boiling dal unattended as it can overflow.
• Add 2 to 3 cups more water (adjust according to consistency preference—Gujarati dal is supposed to be on the thinner side, so adding 3 cups of water is recommended).
• Using an immersion blender, blend the dal until it's uniform and you see no dal particles.
• Add the chopped tomato, grated ginger, and sliced green chilli to the dal.
• Now, add the jaggery powder, coriander powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, Kashmiri red chilli powder, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt (adjust to taste) to the dal. Give everything a good stir and let it simmer for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the tadka (tempering). Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee (or use oil) in a small pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, hing, cloves, and cinnamon stick. Let the seeds sizzle and the mustard seeds pop.
• Add in the curry leaves. They will splatter a lot, so move away from the pan as soon as you add them.
• Pour the tadka over the pot of simmering dal.
• Add the lemon juice and also the boiled peanuts back into the dal. Garnish with cilantro and simmer for 2 more minutes. Serve hot.

The ingredients you'll need

Gujarati Wedding Dal, also known as Gujarati Lagan Dal, is a flavourful dish with a sour, spicy, and slightly sweet taste. It is a traditional dish served at weddings and is usually paired with rice. The following ingredients are required to make this dal:

Main Ingredients

• Oily toor dal (split pigeon peas, arhar, or tuver)
• Ginger
• Green chillies
• Tomatoes
• Turmeric
• Kokum or lemon/lime
• Jaggery or brown sugar
• Coriander
• Cinnamon
• Asafoetida (hing)
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Peanuts
• Cashews

Additional Ingredients

• Salt
• Cloves
• Star anise
• Curry leaves
• Dried chillies
• Ghee or oil
• Fenugreek seeds
• Bay leaf
• Red chillies
• Tamarind
• Dry dates (kharek)
• Yam (suran)
• Gram flour (for Kadhi)

Substitutions and Variations

• Lemon juice can be used instead of kokum for sourness.
• Light brown sugar can be used in place of jaggery.
• If you prefer a spicier dish, you can add crushed or finely chopped green chillies.
• For a Jain version, simply skip the ginger.
• Ghee is traditionally used for tempering, but you can substitute it with oil.

How to prepare the dal

Gujarati Wedding Dal, also known as Gujarati Lagan Dal, is a flavourful dish with a sour, spicy, and slightly sweet taste. It is a comforting and healthy dish that is often served at weddings and other grand occasions. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to prepare this delicious dal:

Ingredients:

• Oily toor dal (split pigeon peas)
• Ginger
• Green chillies
• Tomatoes
• Turmeric
• Kokum or lemon juice
• Jaggery or brown sugar
• Coriander
• Cinnamon
• Asafoetida
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Peanuts
• Cashews
• Salt
• Ghee
• Water

Method:

• Wash the dal thoroughly in plenty of water and repeat this process at least twice to ensure it is clean.
• Place the dal in a pressure cooker with 1 litre of water. If using an Instant Pot or similar, add a teaspoon of oil to reduce foam buildup.
• Close the pressure cooker and cook until you hear 7 whistles, or for about 15 minutes on high pressure in an Instant Pot.
• Release the steam carefully. The dal should be mushy and almost liquid in consistency.
• Sieve the dal into a large bowl to ensure a flowing consistency. Set it aside.
• In a separate large, heavy-based pan, heat the ghee. Add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
• Next, add the cumin seeds, cinnamon, and other whole spices (star anise, dried red chilli, cloves). You can also add peanuts and cashews at this stage for extra texture.
• Sauté the spices over low heat for 1-2 minutes, until the nuts begin to brown slightly.
• Add the ginger and green chillies to the pan. Cook for another 30 seconds before adding the tomatoes, turmeric, and jaggery.
• Stir the mixture well and allow it to simmer gently. Keep stirring to help the jaggery melt and blend with the other ingredients.
• Carefully pour in the cooked dal. Add an additional 500ml of water and season with salt.
• Bring the dal to a boil and let it cook gently for about 20 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent the dal from settling at the bottom of the pan.
• If the dal becomes too thick, add more water to adjust the consistency. Boiling the dal for longer will also enhance the flavour by extracting more flavour from the spices.
• Garnish the dal with fresh coriander.
• Serve hot with rice for a traditional Gujarati dal-bhaat experience. For an authentic wedding vibe, pair it with stuffed aubergine curry, farfar, and poori.

Note: If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can boil the dal in a large pan with a tight-fitting lid for 30-35 minutes or until mushy. Always keep an eye on the boiling dal to prevent it from overflowing.

How to serve Gujarati wedding dal

Gujarati Wedding Dal, also known as Gujarati Lagan Dal, is a traditional dish served at Gujarati weddings. It is a flavourful and aromatic dish made with split pigeon peas, peanuts, and whole spices. Here is a guide on how to serve this special dal to make your wedding feast memorable.

Preparation

Before serving the dal, it is essential to prepare it with care. The key to a delicious Gujarati Wedding Dal is in the cooking process and the choice of ingredients. The dal should be boiled thoroughly, giving it a mushy, almost liquid consistency. The use of a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot is recommended for even cooking. Remember to wash the dal before cooking and repeat this process a few times to ensure it is clean.

Spices and Flavours

The distinct flavour of Gujarati Wedding Dal comes from a combination of spices and ingredients. The dal should have a sour, spicy, and slightly sweet taste. To achieve this, use whole spices such as cinnamon, cloves, star anise, and asafoetida. Additionally, peanuts and cashews are added, which become tender and melt in the mouth. The sourness can be adjusted with kokum or lemon/lime juice, and jaggery or sugar is used to add sweetness.

Accompaniments

Gujarati Wedding Dal is typically served as part of a Gujarati thali, which includes a variety of dishes. Here are some suggestions for accompaniments:

• Rice: Serving the dal with rice creates a truly Gujarati dal-bhaat experience. It can be simple boiled rice or flavoured rice like Gujarati Mug-Bhaat (rice with mung beans).
• Breads: Roti, phulka roti, or paratha can be served alongside the dal.
• Vegetables: Include a dry vegetable dish (shaak) and other vegetables like Ringan Bateta nu Shaak.
• Condiments: Kachumber (salad), papad, pickle, and raita add flavour and texture to the meal.
• Curries: A stuffed aubergine curry (Raviaya) or Gujarati-style Bateta nu Shaak are delicious additions.

Presentation

When serving the Gujarati Wedding Dal, consider presenting it in a traditional manner. Use earthenware or copper bowls to enhance the visual appeal. Garnish the dal with fresh coriander leaves, and for an extra touch of authenticity, drizzle ghee on top.

Portion Size

Remember to serve generous portions, as guests will likely ask for seconds! The dal is often the highlight of a Gujarati wedding feast, so ensure there is enough to satisfy everyone's appetite.

Final Touches

To complete the authentic experience, create a festive atmosphere with decorations and music. The aroma of the dal, combined with the vibrant surroundings, will make the meal a memorable part of the wedding celebration.

By following these tips, you can serve a delicious and authentic Gujarati Wedding Dal that will impress your guests and honour the traditions of Gujarati weddings.

Frequently asked questions