Potato And Lentils, Aloo Dal

          On weekdays, when I pack lunch, and when it's rotis, I try to make some side dish that has some protein in it, usually by adding some dal/ lentils or some form of soy, so that it's filling and doesn't make you hungry very soon. Today's dish is one such, I have cooked moong dal along with potatoes, and I have added kasuri methi which gives the dal a nice flavor. This is so easy to make, you have to only dice the potatoes and tomatoes and the entire cooking can be done in the pressure pan. This dal goes very well with pilafs, rotis or even with dosas..

Need To Have

• Potatoes - 1 cup, diced
• Tomato - 1 medium, chopped
• Moong Dal/ Split, Husked Green Gram - 1/4 cup
• Chana Dal - 4 teaspoons
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chillies - 4, broken into 2 pieces
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Kasuri Methi - 2 tablespoon, crushed
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt to taste

Method

          Wash together the two dals and keep. Heat some oil, add the mustard and cumin seeds, when it starts spluttering, add the broken red chillies and the asafoetida and mix, immediately add the chopped potatoes and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

          Now add the kasuri methi and tomatoes and mix for another minute, then add the dals/ lentils, turmeric powder  and mix once.

          Add about 21/2 cups of water and salt, cover the pressure pan and cook. After the first whistle, reduce the heat to minimum and cook for another 6 to 7 minutes and switch off. Once the pressure is all gone, open the lid, depending on the consistency, add a little more water, or if it's very watery, cook for some more time till it becomes a little thick.

Note
Kasuri methi is dried fenugreek leaves and it's available in all Indian grocery stores.
If you don't have a pressure pan, you can do the entire cooking in a heavy bottomed pan, soak the dals for 1/2 and hour to an hour to speed up the cooking process.
Potatoes can be replaced with chayote or sorakkai/ bottle gourd/ lauki/ ridge gourd, the dish becomes more healthy.