Dhaba dal |Dhabe ki Dal|tarla dalal Dhaba Style Punjabi dal

Todays recipe is dhaba style dal or dhabe di dal 

What is a dhaba

Dhaba is the name given to roadside restaurants in India. They are situated on highways and generally serve local cuisine, and also serve as truck stops.


They are most commonly found next to petrol stations, and most are open 24 hours a day. Since many Indian truck drivers are of Punjabi descent, and Punjabi food and music is quite popular throughout India, the word dhaba has come to represent any restaurant that serves Punjabi food, especially the heavily spiced and fried Punjabi fare preferred by many truck drivers.

The word has come to represent sub-continental cuisine so much that many Indian restaurants in Europe and America have adopted it as a part of the name.
Dhabas were characterized by mud structures and cots to sit upon (called 'chaarpai' in Hindi/Urdu - See Charpoy) while eating. A wooden plank would be placed across the width of the cot on which to place the dishes. With time, the cots were replaced by tables. The food is typically inexpensive and has a 'homemade' feel to it.


Recreate the dal from the highway dhaba at home, using fresh ingredients. Rajma, Urad and chana dals are well-cooked before mixing it with onions, garlic, tomatoes and spices cooked in oil. The green chili adds extra spice, while fenugreek and jeera impart some beautiful flavors.

You can even use a combination of urad dal,toor dal and chana dal instead of  Rajma, Urad and chana dal to prepare this dal as i did

Recipe source tarla dalal

Serves 4-5

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup  Urad  Daal (Split black gram)
1/4 cup Channa Daal (Bengal Gram)
1/4 cup Rajma (Red kidney beans)
1 large Onion chopped
2 chopped tomato
2 green chilies (chopped)
6-8 flakes Garlic (chopped)
1" piece of Ginger (chopped)
Coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tsp Cumin powder(jeera powder)
2tsp dhania powder (Coriander powder)
1/2 tsp. Red Chili Powder or to taste
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp. Kasori Methi
Salt to taste
4-5 tbsp oil
3 tbsp Butter



Method:

1.Clean and wash daals and Rajma. Soak them overnight or for 6 hours together in enough water.

2.Drain soaked daals. Add 6 cups of water and salt, pressure cook them  for 8-10 Whistles.dal should be cooked very finely.mash them well with a masher (ravi).

3.After daal is cooked heat oil/butter in a pan and add garlic  and stir-fry till light brown. Add chopped onions, ginger and green chillies and saute till golden brown in colour.

4.Add tomatoes and cook till it softens. Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, kasoori methi powder and fry stirring continously till it starts leaving oil. If it start sticking sprinkle little water.

5.Now add the cooked daal and butter, mix well. Simmer and cook daal for 10-15 minutes, stirring occaisonally.

6.Sprinkle little garam masala and  garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

7. Serve hot with tandoori roti,jeera rice and plain paratha .