How long does Varan take?

37 minutes from start to finish. That is 10 minutes of preparation and 27 minutes of cooking.

How many people does Varan serve?

4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.

Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.

What do I need to make Varan?

¾ cup Toor Dal, 0.3 grams Asafoetida, 600 ml Water, ½ tsp Turmeric Powder, 1¼ tsp Salt, 2 tsp Lemon Juice, and a few more listed on this page.

Do I need a pressure cooker for Varan?

Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.

How many calories are in Varan?

About 149 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

VaranCook

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Varan

Name: Varan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian, Maharashtrian
Ingredients: ¾ cup Toor Dal, For Rinsing; 600 ml Water, For Cooking; ½ tsp Turmeric Powder; 1¼ tsp Salt; 0.3 grams Asafoetida; 200 ml Water, For Adjusting Consistency; 2 tsp Lemon Juice; 2 tsp Ghee, Melted

37 min
not spicy
Serves 4

Prep 10 min · Cook 27 min

Start cooking

4 steps, one at a time. Big words for every step, and a timer where a step waits.

Also known as dal · Veg · Curries & Gravies, Dal

Curries & Gravies Dal Low fat Jain

Varan, a Maharashtrian dal, cooked with toor dal, turmeric and a cumin mustard tempering in a pressure cooker. Mild, serves 4, about 35 minutes.

Low calorie

You’ll need: Pressure Cooker

Good for: Rainy Day

Ingredients

8 items

4 people

Toor Dal, For Rinsing¾ cup
Water, For Cooking600 ml
Turmeric Powder½ tsp
Salt1¼ tsp
Asafoetida0.3 grams
Water, For Adjusting Consistency200 ml
Lemon Juice2 tsp
Ghee, Melted2 tsp

Contains: milk, wheat.

Nutrition

Per 1 person, and for all 4 people. Worked out from the ingredients, so treat it as a close guide.

Nutrient	Per 1 person	All 4 people
Energy	149kcal	596kcal
Protein	8.2g	33g
Carbohydrate	22g	87g
Fat	3.3g	13g
Fibre	5.6g	22g
Sugar	0.1g	0.4g

Method

1
Rinse the toor dal 2 to 3 times. Put it in a pressure cooker with 600 ml water and cook on medium flame for 4 whistles, about 12 minutes. Switch off and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before opening; the dal should crush fully when pressed with a spoon.
Toor DalWater
2
Mash the cooked dal very smooth with a ladle or masher. Add turmeric powder, salt, asafoetida and 200 ml water. Bring it to a full boil on medium flame for 5 minutes, until it is smooth and pourable with light bubbles.
Turmeric PowderSaltAsafoetidaWater
3
Switch off the flame and mix in lemon juice. Taste and add a little hot water only if the varan is thicker than a light gravy.
Lemon Juice
4
Serve the hot varan with rice. Add 1/2 tsp ghee over each serving just before eating.
Ghee

Before you start

How long does Varan take?: 37 minutes from start to finish. That is 10 minutes of preparation and 27 minutes of cooking.
How many people does Varan serve?: 4. The ingredient quantities on this page rescale if you are cooking for a different number.
Is Varan vegetarian?: Yes. No meat, no fish and no egg.
Is Varan spicy?: No, it is not spicy.
What do I need to make Varan?: ¾ cup Toor Dal, 0.3 grams Asafoetida, 600 ml Water, ½ tsp Turmeric Powder, 1¼ tsp Salt, 2 tsp Lemon Juice, and a few more listed on this page.
Do I need a pressure cooker for Varan?: Yes, this one is cooked under pressure.
How many calories are in Varan?: About 149 a serving. The full nutrition table is on this page, per serving and for the whole batch.

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