Gujarati Lagna Daar

When I was a child I loved the daar they would serve at Gujarati weddings and I wanted to make it at home. However I was really young and did not know how to cook. So what I used to do was take some of the daar my mum would make and add white sugar to it. It did taste good but it was not the same as Gujarati wedding style daar. As I got older and more confident in cooking I tried many different recipes on how to make Gujarati wedding style daar. The recipe I am going to share is the way I make it from learning different techniques. I hope you guys enjoy this Gujarati Lagna ni Daar which translates to Gujarati Wedding Daal.

Ingredients:

1 cup washed tuvar/toor daal - 175g

1 date

1 tbsp red peanuts - 15g 2 and 1/2 cup water

Vaghar/Tempering: 2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

2 cloves

1 inch piece cassia bark/cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida hing

2 dried red chillies

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

10/12 curry leaves

1 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander cumin powder (dhana jeeru)

1/4 tsp garam masala

1 tsp pickle masala 1 heaped tsp finely grated ginger

Tamarind water (12g dried tamarind soaked in hot water then strained once water is cooled)

30g jaggery (or to taste)

Water Salt to taste Coriander leaves to garnish Method Firstly you want to wash your tuvar daal. I am using the oily kind - daal covered in castor oil. Wash 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear and add the tuvar daal into a pressure cooker along with a date, peanuts and water. Pressure cook on medium heat for 5 whistles then turn off the heat and allow all the pressure to release from the cooker.

Open the pressure cooker once all the pressure has released. The tuvar daal will still be whole but should disintegrate. Using a whisk, whisk the tuvar daal. The date should disintegrate along with the tuvar and the red peanuts will stay whole. Whisk until you have a smooth consistency.

Keeping the now smooth tuvar daal mixture to the side, we will make a start on the vaghar. In a pan heat up some oil and once hot add in the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds have stopped spluttering add in the cassia bark/cinnamon stick, cloves and cumin seeds. Once the cumin seeds have browned add in the asafoetida, dried red chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Sauté this for around a minute on a medium to low heat so the spices don't burn.

Still on a medium to low heat add in the red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander and cumin powder, garam masala and pickle masala. Sauté for around 2 minutes whilst adding a little water just to stop the spices from burning.

Then add in the grated ginger, tamarind water and jaggery. Add as much or as little jaggery as you like. This can also be added at the end if you want to control the sweetness for yourself.

Mix this on a medium heat until the jaggery has melted and add this into the tuvar daal mixture.

Mix the vaghar really well into the tuvar daal mixture. The tuvar daal mixture will be thick and Gujarati daar is more on the runnier side. Add warm water to the daal mixture to loosen the mixture. Add as much or as little depending on the consistency you like. I added 1 cup of water.

Then add in some salt and mix everything well. Bring the daar to a boil while stirring now and then. Once the daar beginnings to boil leave this to gently boil for around 10 to 15 mintues.

Don't forget to stir now and then. If you did not add jaggery in the vaghar you can add it now and control the sweetness this way. Then to finish off the daar garnish with some coriander leaves.

Gujarati Lagna ni Daar is ready to be served. Serve this over hot ghee rice or have it on it's own as a side dish with your meal. This sweet, spicy and sour daar is my favourite. Hope you all Enjoy!

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