Dal is kind of a lentil soup/sauce. Here is one of my favourites. Before the recipe I'd like to claim that: If a woman makes this dal to a man he will feel obligated to give her presents every day for 14 days. Whole mung bean and tomato soup 1 cup (225 ml) whole green mung beans 7 1/4 cups (1,7 l) water ½ teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger ½ teaspoon fresh green chili, minced 2 firm, ripe tomatoes, coarsely chopped 2 tablespoons minced chopped parsley 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1½ teaspoons salt 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 2 tablespoons mild-tasting olive oil 1½ teaspoons of cumin seeds 1/4 teaspoon yellow asafoetida powder (hing) Wash and drain the mung beans. Boil the beans, water, turmeric, ginger, and chili over high heat. Reduce the heat to moderately low. Cover with tight-fitting lid and boil gently for up to 1 hour or until the beans become soft. Add the tomatoes, parsley, sugar, salt, and lemon juice. Comtinue to simmer for another 5 minutes. Heat the olive oil in a small pan until slightly smoking; add the cumin seeds and sauté until they crackle and turn golden brown. Sauté the asafoetida (hing) momentarily; then add the spices to the soup. Allow the seasonings to soak into the soup for 1-2 minutes. Serve hot. Yummy!
