This recipe for Goan Daliche Toy is made in most Goan homes and uses just a few ingredients for an incredibly comforting meal.
While popular culture would have you believe Goans only eat fish curries and vindaloos, a lot of vegetable and grain/pulse forward dishes form a big part of the Goan home cooking repertoire. Just like every state/region in India, Goa too has recipes for dal unique to us. And this Goan Daliche Toy is one such recipe.
Easily one of the simplest and most comforting, Goan Daliche Toy relies on simple ingredients used in the right proportions and at the right time to produce a delicious result. You should be able to taste each ingredient that goes in and that’s what makes this truly frugal dal, extraordinary!
Kitchen Notes
Whenever you’re cooking any dal – it is important to soak them for at least 30 minutes if not longer. This helps the lentils to cook quicker and produce a creamy result. Scientifically, it helps the body digest them better and removes gas-causing compounds from the lentils. For creating a creamy texture in dal, once the lentils have come to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer, and use the back of a spoon to gently mash some of the lentils.
The mastery of a good Goan Daliche Toy comes from balance so I recommend spending an extra minute to do this. You want to taste a gentle heat from the green chilli, freshness from tomatoes (so be careful not to overcook them), creaminess from the lentils, brightness from the lime juice and the sugar just brings out all these flavours without actually tasting ‘sweet’.
Best enjoyed with serve of steamed rice, a stir fried vegetable, some pickle/papad and a bit of yogurt and you’ll have yourself the perfect meal.
Goan Daliche Toy
Ingredients
- 1 cup Split Red Lentils
- 1 Green Chilli (slit down the middle)
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ cup Tomato (chopped)
- 1 tsp Salt
- 3 cups Water
- 1/2 tsp Sugar/Jaggery
- 1 tsp Lime Juice
- 10-12 Fresh Coriander Leaves (roughly torn)
For the Tempering
- 1 tbsp Ghee or Neutral Oil (if vegan)
- ¾ tsp Black Mustard Seeds
- ⅛ tsp Asafoetida/Heeng (see notes for substitutions)
- 6-8 Fresh Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Wash the split red lentils in a colander until the water runs clear. Soak them covered in water for atleast 30 mins. Discard soaking water when ready to cook.
- Once soaked, add the green chilli, salt, water and turmeric powder to the lentils. Bring the pot to a boil on a medium flame. If you see any foamy impurities, skim them out.
- Once the lentils have come to a boil, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Using the back of a spoon, gently mash some of the lentils to make the final dal creamy. Its important not to over-cook the dal – you till want some texture.
- Now, add the chopped tomato and let it cook until softened slightly. Add the sugar and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- For the tempering – heat the ghee (use a neutral oil if you'd like to make this vegan). Add the mustard seeds, let them bloom and splutter in the oil on a low flame. Turn off the heat and immediately add the heeng (asafoetida) and the curry leaves and quickly pour this tempering to the dal and mix through nicely and turn off the heat.
- Add the lime juice and taste the dal for balance. Garnish with coriander leaves and let it rest for about 15-20 minutes before you serve.
- Serve your dal with some steamed rice, a side of vegetables or greens and some yogurt.
Notes
- Asafoetida (heeng) is a gum extracted from ferula, a herb in the celery family. Available in powdered form in all Indian grocers in Australia. It is traditionally used in dishes where no aliums are used (no onion/garlic) and adds umami/savoury notes. If you are unable to find it, replace with garlic powder.
For other delicious recipes from the blog, click here. If you make this recipe and love it, let me know in the comments below. When sharing on Instagram, tag me @rupalbhatikar.
Leave a Reply