Gujarati khatti meethi dal recipe with step by step photos. In english the words ‘khatti’ means tangy or sour and ‘meethi’ means sweet. So this is an easy Gujarati dal having sweet and sour taste and will be specially liked by folks who love myriad flavors and textures in one dish.
In this dal, addition of jaggery gives the sweet taste. Kokum (garcinia indica) gives the sour taste and the addition of peanuts give some texture. Overall, expect a flavorful dal with sweet and slightly sour flavors.
To get the right balance of sweetness and sourness in this dal is important. I have mentioned below the proportions of kokum and jaggery I had used. However, depending on the intensity of the sourness in the kokum, you can reduce the quantity. Below is a pic of dried kokums.
In this Gujarati dal, normally dried kokum is used as a souring agent. If you don’t have kokum then you can experiment with tamarind or lemon juice but the taste will be different.
For an authentic taste use dried kokums. I have also shared recipes of Gujarati dal and Surati dal, Both are sweet and sour in taste. You can also check this Maharashtrian amti dal which also has sweet and sour flavors.
Khatti meethi dal is thin in consistency and does not include onion or garlic. For tempering I suggest to use ghee as it brings a really good flavor in the dal.
This Gujarati khatti meethi dal is best had with steamed rice or jeera rice topped with a little bit of ghee. Accompany a vegetable salad, pickle or yogurt and you get a satisfying meal.
How to make khatti meethi dal
Cooking dal:
1. First pick ½ cup heaped arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) for stones etc. Then rinse the lentils thoroughly in running water 2 to 3 times. Drain all water and keep aside.
2. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making the dal.
3. Add the arhar dal in a pressure cooker. Also add 2 to 2.5 cups water, ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ginger-green chili paste and 2 tablespoons peanuts.
4. Pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes on a medium flame till the lentils has turned mushy and cooked very well. When pressure falls down on its own, remove the lid.
5. Mash the lentils with a wooden spoon. then add 1 to 1.5 cups water to the dal and mix well. Add water as required.
6. Add 2 tablespoon jaggery powder (or grated jaggery), 3 to 4 dried kokums and salt as required.
7. Simmer the dal for 7 to 8 minutes on a low to medium flame. Keep stirring at intervals when the dal is simmering.
Tempering khatti meethi dal
8. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for the tempering.
9. Heat 1.5 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) in a small pan.
10. Crackle ½ teaspoon mustard seeds first.
11. Then add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (methi dana).
12. Fry for 2 to 3 seconds till they are browned.
13. Then add 6 to 7 curry leaves, 2 to 3 small dry red chilies, 3 to 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing).
14. Stir and fry for a few seconds till the red chilies change color.
15. Pour this tempering on the simmering dal. Be careful as the dal splutters. Mix and then continue to simmer the dal for 5 to 6 minutes more. Once done, then before serving khatti meethi dal, you can garnish the dal with coriander leaves if you prefer.
16. Serve the Gujarati khatti meethi daL with steamed rice or cumin rice or saffron rice or butter rice.
You are looking for more Dal recipes then do check:
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Khatti Meethi Dal
Ingredients
for cooking dal
- ½ cup heaped arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils)
- 2 to 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 green chili + ¾ inch ginger - crushed in a mortar pestle to a paste or about 1 teaspoon ginger green chili paste
- 2 tablespoons peanuts
- 1 to 1.5 cups water to be added later
- 2 tablespoons organic jaggery powder or grated jaggery
- 3 to 4 dried kokums * check notes
- salt as required
for tempering
- 1.5 tablespoons Ghee
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon sabut methi (fenugreek seeds)
- 6 to 7 curry leaves
- 2 to 3 small dry red chilies or 1 regular to large dry red chili - halved and deseeded
- 3 to 4 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
Instructions
Cooking lentils
- First pick the lentils for stones etc. Then rinse the lentils thoroughly in running water 2 to 3 times.
- Add the lentils in a pressure cooker along with 2 to 2.5 cups water, turmeric, ginger-green chili paste and peanuts.
- Pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes on a medium flame till the lentils has turned mushy and cooked very well.
- Mash the lentils with a wooden spoon. Then add 1 to 1.5 cups water to the dal.
- Add the jaggery powder, kokums and salt and simmer the lentils for 7 to 8 minutes on a low to medium flame.
Tempering khatti meethi dal
- For the tempering, heat the ghee in a small pan. Crackle the mustard seeds first.
- Then add the cumin and fenugreek seeds and fry till they are browned - just a few seconds.
- Then add the curry leaves, red chilies, cloves, cinnamon and asafoetida.
- Stir and fry for some seconds. Pour this tempering on the simmering dal. Mix and continue to simmer for 5 to 6 minutes more.
- You can garnish the dal with coriander leaves if you prefer.
- Serve the gujarati khatti meethi dal with steamed rice or jeera rice.
Please post recipe of famous ‘Dal Raisina’…
i will try to add and have taken note of your recipe request.
there is one more”Jeni chai bagadi teni savaar bagadi”( jiski chai bigdi uski subah bigadi)????
Yes,after checking out few online videos I found chakolya to be similar to dal dhokli.very interesting.looking forward to both these recipes soon????
meveera, this proverb is also interesting. yes will try to add in some time. thanks again.
Hi Dassana!
In addition to Dr Jhaveri’s comment they also say in Gujarat “Jenu athanu bagadyu enu varash bagadyu “( jiska achaar bigda uska saal bigda)????
Your recipe is so perfect that if it is thinned down by adding some water & the thepla ( not the methi one)dough is rolled out thinly,cut,added & boiled for few minutes it will result in a nice dal dhokli ????I sometimes even add fried cashews to the dal dhokli
meveera, never heard about the proverb. finding it funny ????. thanks for the suggestion. i do plan to add dal dhokli in some time. it is one of my favorite dals. in fact, dal as such is comfort food. in maharashtra also a similar recipe is made called as chakolya. cashews are also a good addition. thanks again meveera.