Gujarati Daar (Lentil Soup)

Gujarati Daar is a celebration of simplicity and flavour. This lentil soup is a testament to the Gujarati ethos of 'sweet meets savoury', beautifully blending a medley of spices, jaggery, and sometimes, a hint of peanut – all coming together in a dance of tastes that's both nourishing and indulgent. What sets Gujarati Daar apart is its unique combination of spices, including the warmth of cinnamon, the earthiness of cumin, and the slight kick of ginger, all balanced with the sweetness of jaggery. It's not just food; it's comfort in a bowl, offering a taste of home with every spoonful.

• Ingredients

  2 cups Pigeon Peas (Thuwer Daar)

  1/2 cup Raw Peanuts

  2 tbsp Neutral cooking oil

  1/2 tsp dried Fenugreek (Methi)

  3/4 tsp Mustard seeds Rai)

  1/2 tsp Cumin (Jeera)

  15 Curry Leaves (Limbro)

  3/4 spoon Tumeric (Hardaar)

  1 tbsp Green Chilli Paste

  1 tbsp Ginger Paste

  1 spoon Red chilli powder (Laal Mirchu)

  2 tbsp Jaggery (Goor)

  1/2 Lemon

  1/2 Cup Fresh Coriander

  1/2 cup of fresh Coriander (Dhana)

  1 tsp Salt (Nimak)

• Instructions

  Soak 2 cups of Thuwer daal for a few hours or, ideally, overnight.

  Pressure cook 30-60 minutes till the daal is soft enough to be squeezed).

  In a separate container, pressure cook peanuts (this can be done in the same cook cycle).

  Temper (Vaghar): In a separate pot:

  Add your neutral oil, Rai (Mustard seeds), Limbro (Curry Leaves), methi dry, Jeera (Cumin)

  Blend daal using an immersion blender.

  Add to Vaghar (Tempered Oil).

  Add Nimak (Salt) , Hardaar (Tumeric), Green chili paste, Ginger paste, Laal Mirchu, Goor (Jaggary).

  Finish with Lemon, Coriander, 1 cup water, and simmer until you reach your desired consistency.