Bele Saaru

Rinse the toor dal with 500 ml water. Rinse the tomatoes, green chilli, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Chop the coriander leaves, crush the ginger, slit the green chilli and quarter the tomatoes. Soak the tamarind in 100 ml warm water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the juice.

Water

Add the rinsed toor dal, 600 ml water and turmeric powder to a pressure cooker. Pressure cook on medium flame for 4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 to 15 minutes, until the pressure pin drops. Open the cooker, check that the dal is soft and mashes easily, then mash it until smooth.

Toor DalWaterTurmeric Powder

Add the tomatoes, green chilli, crushed ginger, tamarind juice, jaggery and 400 ml water to a kadai. Boil on medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft and the raw smell of the tamarind goes.

TomatoGreen ChilliGingerTamarindJaggeryWater

Dry-roast the coriander seeds, cumin, peppercorns and dry red chilli in a small kadai on low flame for 2 minutes, until the spices become slightly darker. Add the grated coconut and roast for 1 minute until light golden. Let the mixture cool, then grind it with 60 ml water to a smooth paste.

Coriander SeedsCuminBlack PeppercornsDry Red ChilliCoconutWater

Add the mashed dal, ground paste, salt and 300 ml water to the boiled tamarind-tomato mixture. Mix well and simmer on low flame for 8 minutes, until the saaru is hot and lightly frothy. Do not boil it for long after adding the dal.

SaltWaterWater

Heat oil in a small pan on medium flame for 30 seconds until hot. Add mustard seeds and let them crackle for 30 seconds. Add cumin, dry red chilli, curry leaves and asafoetida, then fry for 1 minute until the curry leaves turn crisp without burning the spices.

OilMustard SeedsCuminDry Red ChilliCurry leavesAsafoetida

Pour the tempering over the saaru and add the chopped coriander leaves. Mix and simmer on low flame for 1 minute, then switch off when the dal is evenly mixed and hot.

Coriander Leaves