Mori Dal – Varan
Mori Dal – Varan is a boiled Pigeon pea/ toor dal infused with turmeric, salt, and tempered with oil and seeds that makes very delicate dal to pair with steamed rice and kadhi!
Gujaratis have a debate on whether they eat Gujarati Kadhi and steamed rice with/without mori dal. Mori dal is simply made with boiled pigeon pea/toor dal. It is infused with turmeric, salt and asafetida. Tempered with bunch of seeds and fresh curry leaves! Its delicate flavors are absolutely divine! Some Gujarati people combine it with kadhi and rice! Some people simply eat it with phulka rotis! People from Maharashtra call it Maharashtrian Varan. They pair it with steamed rice, which is called Varan Bhat! My MIL always called it Varan Bhat as she grew up in Mumbai!!
This is something very kids friendly. Many families in India, including mine gradually start giving infants the water of this boiled dal as part of introducing solids. First stage is to just give infants boiled dal water. Then as they grow and start getting used to it, the consistency of the dal starts to become thicker. Eventually they eat this mori dal with rice and ghee! This is one of the best and healthiest food for kids!
I cannot eat kadhi and rice without this delicious mori dal-varan! My grand father from my mother side used to add some red chili powder, salt and oil to this dal and ate with rotis! Let me know in comments below how your family enjoys this deliciousness! Do you guys pair it with kadhi and rice or not?!?! If you end up making it and liking it tag me on Instagram @myvegetarianroots. I would love to see your recreation of this goodie!
Happy and Healthy Eating!
Mori Dal – Varan Dal
Ingredients
- 1 cup Pigeon pea/ toor dal
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- Water as needed
Tampering
- 1 tbsp Oil or ghee
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- ½ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- ¼ tsp Asafetida
- 6 Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Wash the Pigeon pea/ toor dal with warm water very well, specially if the toor dal you are using is oily.
- Soak it in very warm water for 20-30 minutes.
- Pressure cook soaked toor dal with enough water, salt and turmeric powder. Do 3-4 whistles.
- Once the pressure is completely released from the pressure cooker, open it and add more water if needed. The consistency should be like soup, not too watery not too thick.
- Mix the dal using whisker just enough so that the dal is not too smooth. Taste it and add more salt if needed. Mix well.
- Heat 1 tbsp of oil or ghee in a small pan. Once hot, add mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and cumin seeds. Once they stop popping (make sure it does not burn), add asafetida and curry leaves.
- Immediately add the tampering to the prepared dal.
- Stir it to mix the tampering.
- Serve it hot with steamed water. Adding Gujarati kadhi to varan bhat is like cherry on top of the cake!
