While Chef Oindrila Bala is well-known for her baking and dessert experiments in the MasterChef kitchen, not many people know that the Dessert Queen isn’t really fond of sweets herself. She enjoys the process of making desserts which led her launch her own patisserie called The Sweet Spot. However, when asked about her favourite food memory during an interactive session, the Chef unfolded another childhood story and revealed that her most favourite dish is the basic Mushoorir Dal.
Here is an excerpt from her interview and a quick and easy recipe for you to try at home.
“Now this might sound strange but the one dish that makes me nostalgic is dal. My nani used to make this dal when I was really young and she would fetch water from a nearby pond for the same. It was called the Mushoorir dal and it was really fragrant, made with the panch phoran spice mix. When my nani used to make that dal, it had a super special touch. Now my nani is too old to make it and we can’t even fetch water from the pond anymore so that’s what makes me miss it so much”.
Mushoorir dal is nothing but masoor dal. Yet the essence of the dish lies in the method of making it.
Mushoorir Dal
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup masoor dal
- Haldi (Turmeric)
- Salt to taste
- Chopped Ginger
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Onions
- Mustard Oil
- Bay Leaves
- Panch Phoran
Source: Swathi's Recipes/Facebook
- Boil the masoor dal with 2 cups water and 1/2 tsp of haldi and 1/2 tsp of salt till it is soft and melted.
- In a kadhai, add 2 tbsp of mustard oil, 2 bay leaves 2-3 red chillies, 1 tsp of panch phoran. Cook for a minute to infuse the oil.
- Add 1 sliced onion, 1 tsp chopped ginger, 1 sliced tomato and cook till the onion is golden. Now add in the dal.
- Add in 1/2 tsp sugar, salt to taste and 1 tsp ghee and simmer for 20-30 minutes for all the flavours to infuse.
- It should be a thin dal, so you may need to add in a little more water to adjust consistency.
- Serve hot with rice and a bhaja.
