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Gujarati Dal Recipe (Khatti Meethi Dal)
4.9 from 52 votes

Gujarati Dal Recipe (Khatti Meethi Dal)

Gujarati Dal is a tangy and slightly sweet lentil preparation using arhar dal (pigeon peas), kokum, jaggery, and a medley of spices. The dal is cooked until soft and then tempered with mustard, cumin, fenugreek seeds, red chilies, curry leaves, cloves, and cinnamon, which impart complex layers of flavor. The balance of sour kokum and sweet jaggery distinguishes this dal from other lentil dishes, making it a distinctive part of Gujarati cuisine.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 5
Calories: 191 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For cooking lentils
  • ¾ cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils)
  • 2 to 2.5 cups water or add as needed
Other ingredients
  • 1 tomato small-sized, chopped (optional)
  • 1 or 2 green chilies crushed in a mortar pestle to a paste or about 1 teaspoon ginger green chili paste, ½ inch ginger
  • 1 or 2 ginger crushed in a mortar pestle to a paste or about 1 teaspoon ginger green chili paste, ½ inch ginger
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 3 to 4 kokum check point 3 in notes, dried
  • 1.5 to 2 cups water or add as required, to be added later
  • 1.5 to 2 tablespoon jaggery powder or grated jaggery or add as required, organic
  • 1 to 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves cilantro leaves, chopped
  • salt as required
For tempering
  • 2 tablespoon neutral cooking oil or add Ghee if you prefer, generic cooking oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana)
  • 2 to 3 red chili small-sized or 2 regular to large dry red chili - halved and deseeded or kept whole, dry
  • 8 to 10 curry leaves
  • 1 generous pinch asafoetida (hing)
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon

Instructions

Pressure cooking lentils
    Cup of Yum
  1. First pick the arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils for stones etc. 
  2. Then rinse the lentils thoroughly in running water for 4 to 5 times.
  3. Add the rinsed dal in a 3 litre pressure cooker. Add water. Pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes on a medium to high heat.
  4. Read on below in the notes section on cooking lentils in the Instant pot or in a pan.
  5. The lentils have to be cooked completely and softened really well.
  6. Mash the dal very well with a wired whisk or with a spoon. The lentils should be mashed very well.
Making gujarati dal
  1. Add green chili-ginger paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander-cumin powder, jaggery, salt, tomato(optional) and kokums. Mix well.
  2. Add water to get a medium to medium-thin consistency. Mix again and keep the cooker back on the stove top.
  3. Bring the dal to a simmer on a low heat for 7 to 8 minutes stirring often.
For tempering
  1. Heat oil or ghee in a small pan. Crackle mustard seeds first and then add cumin seeds.
  2. Add the dry red chilies, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves, asafoetida and fenugreek seeds. 
  3. Stir and fry for some seconds until the red chilies change color.
  4. Carefully, pour this tempering mixture together with the oil in the simmering dal. Switch off the heat.
  5. Add coriander leaves. Finally stir the dal.
  6. Serve piping hot gujarati dal with steamed rice.
Serving Suggestions
  1. Gujarati dal is best served with hot steamed rice. Drizzle a bit of ghee on the dal if you like. Have a complete meal by pairing the dal and rice with a side of any Indian vegetable dish or salad or raita or a plain yogurt.
  2. You can relish the dal with some soft roti or crispy paratha or even bread or dinner rolls (pav).
Storage
  1. It is best to eat Gujarati dal when freshly cooked. Lentils always taste best when served hot and as soon as they are cooked. If you have leftovers, then store in the refrigerator and try to consume the same day or at the most next day.
  2. Dal when refrigerated, will thicken with a change in flavor and taste. Refrigerated dal does not taste as better or good than freshly cooked dal. Moreover I suggest that for health reasons, it is best to eat dal the day it is made.

Notes

  • Unpolished tur dal is recommended for best flavor and nutrition; alternatively, moong or masoor dal can be used alone or in combination.
  • If avoiding gluten, omit asafoetida and add chopped onions and garlic during lentil cooking for flavor.
  • Kokum can be substituted with 1–2 teaspoons tamarind pulp or lemon juice added after tempering.
  • Add ¼ cup soaked peanuts when cooking lentils for extra texture if desired.
  • For stovetop cooking, soak lentils for an hour and simmer 30–45 minutes until soft.
  • In Instant Pot, pressure cook for 10–12 minutes and simmer after tempering to adjust consistency.
  • This recipe scales easily to any quantity.

Nutrition Information

Calories 191kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 29g (10%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 7g (11%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 270mg (11%) Potassium 104mg (2%) Fiber 8g (32%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 420IU (8%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 19mg Vitamin B6 1mg Vitamin C 40mg (44%) Vitamin E 3mg Vitamin K 3µg Calcium 44mg (4%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 193µg Iron 2mg (11%) Magnesium 11mg (3%) Phosphorus 15mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 5 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 191

% Daily Value*

Calories 191kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 29g 10%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 7g 11%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 270mg 11%
Potassium 104mg 2%
Fiber 8g 32%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 420IU 8%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 19mg
Vitamin B6 1mg
Vitamin C 40mg 44%
Vitamin E 3mg
Vitamin K 3µg
Calcium 44mg 4%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 193µg
Iron 2mg 11%
Magnesium 11mg 3%
Phosphorus 15mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.