Moong dal soup with cumin and pepper

One of my favourite dal dishes I must say, more than a curry its like a soup i can just slurp it away at any given time of the day.The first time i tasted it was at a sindhi family friend's place and so my mom calls it 'sindhi dal'.

This is my second entry to MM 7.Among all of the dals, I have a secret liking to moong dal...i don't know why.Maybe because of this dish.I make it whenever i need to put my legs up and relax with a nice movie to watch on tv.

I usually grind the cooked dal thats how mom makes it and i love it.But for those who like to see their lentils whole in their dishes can add the cooked dal mashed by the back of a ladle.

 you need

Moong dal 1 cup
Tomato 2 large
Ginger 1 inch piece finely chopped
Green chilli 1 sliced finely
Curry leaves 1 sprig
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves/cilantro chopped finely a bunch
Water a cup or more

Oil 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds 1 tsp heaped
Pepper powder to taste

• Cook the moong dal in a pressure cooker until soft.Mash or grind it and set aside.
• In a pan, chop tomatoes, curry leaves,green chillies, ginger and add water to this and mix it well.Heat this mixture and cook it until the tomatoes are soft and mashed well.
• Once the tomatoes are well cooked and the raw smells go away add the pureed dal to this and let it simmer on low flame until the pungent smell of the dal goes away.
• Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.
• Add the chopped coriander leaves and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in another pan, add the cumin seeds and let it pop.Add this to the dal and sprinkle pepper powder.

• Serve the dal hot with chapatis or steamed rice :) yummy!

Sending this to MM 7 @ Sizzling tastebuds , Dish name starts with M,SHow me your HITS - lentils and legumes, Spotlight - lentils and legumes