Growing up, I would come home from swimming classes on Sundays to a breakfast for champions – Val Dal and rice flour rotis. The Kolis love val or field beans, even though it gets a bad rap for inducing excessive flatulence and must be cooked thoroughly. They have it in various forms – sprouted, with skin or without skin. In this recipe, apart from the val, it is the Koli masala that is the star.
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Serves
2
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Cook Time
01 h 30 m
Ingredients
- Val dal (field beans), soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
- 2 onions, sliced
- 2 green chillies
- 2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp Koli masala
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- Coriander, chopped for garnish
Preparation
- Heat oil on a tava. Toss in the onions and fry until pink and translucent.
- Add the powdered spices.
- Add the soaked dal, and pour enough water to just cover the dal. Place a lid on the tava and cook for 25-30 minutes. Should it dry up, add a little water occasionally.
- The dal is ready when it crumbles when pressed between the fingers. Do not stir too much. The dal should remain al dente.
- Garnish with green chillies or chopped coriander.
Note: You could replace Koli masala with a mixture of garam masala and red chilli powder in a 1:1 ratio.
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