Tomato Lentil Soup

Dal(Lentil) soup is usually a staple dish in most Indian households except perhaps mine because I have never liked the traditional way it is prepared. I found the plain dal lacking in flavor. Then I came across a recipe which added tomatoes and spice into the mix thus giving the plain dal a much needed makeover. I mixed this dal with rice for my daughter and she gobbled away happily. I adjusted the spice level from what the original recipe called for since I was introducing it to my daughter for the first time.

You will need :
1 cup Toor Dal
2.5 cups water
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/4 tspn cumin seeds
1/4 tspn mustard seeds
1/4 tspn crushed red pepper
2 tbspn Oil
1 cup chopped Onion
1 tspn minced garlic
1 green Chilly
1 cup chopped tomatoes.
Salt according to taste
Cilantro for garnishing

Lets Begin :
-Wash the dal to remove any grime that may be present. Pressure cook with turmeric and water until the dal is soft and mashable. You can also use a regular saucepan, just cover and cook for 30 minutes with turmeric and water.Open lid occasionally to let the bubbles subside.
-Meanwhile in another saucepan , heat oil cumin seeds, mustard seeds and red pepper.
-Add onion, garlic, green chilly and fry for five minutes till onion has wilted.
-Add tomatoes and cook. Be sure not to overcook them.
-Check on the dal. Once it is cooked, mash it up with the back of a spoon and add to tomato mixture.
-Add salt as desired and bring it to boil. If the mixture is too thick, add water to thin it out.
-Garnish with Cilantro.

Adapted from Maya Kaimal's Curried Favors