Mori Dal / Sada Varan / Plain Toor Dal is a very simple Maharashtrian style toor dal cooked with just turmeric and salt. It is very delicious and healthy dal and is a very important dish served at the beginning of a Maharashtrian meal. It is very light on stomach and can be given to toddlers who have just started to eat outside food.
Not only Maharashtrian cuisine popular for its tempting dishes but also for the way of serving the food in a dish. My mother is Mahasrashtrian and I got to learn the way of serving the Maharashtrian thali when I visited my nani’s/ mami’s/maushi’s place. Also when i was in grade 11, I stayed with my friend (Shruti) at her uncle’s place (Agnihotri’s). The family followed all the family traditions and had lot of poojas and celebrations. The family celebrated all the festivals together. The most important part of the celebration was food. Each and every family member was involved into the preparation of the celebration. We as kids were designated the role of serving the food. Traditionally, people would sit in a line on the floor lined with sheets. Small wooden boards (paath) were put in front of them. Rangoli (design with colours)were drawn around the wooden boards. A big empty thali (silver/ gold/ copper or stainless steel dish) and glass was put on the board. Now one by one all the prepared dishes were served. We children would serve them in a line.
Serving the Maharastrian thali starts from left hand side of the dish. The first ingredient would be , a lemon wedge,followed by 1/4 tsp of salt, then a small spoon of chutneys and pickles. Then below it would be koshimbhir (salad). Since these ingredients are just for taste we serve them on left side and in less quantity. Then serve deep fried dishes lilke bhajis or alu wadi or batata wada, fried papads or kurdaya (fried noodles) . Below that on left side is served a small serving of some sweet such as sheera or jalebi or kheer or pooran poli with ghee . In the center from the bottom of the dish is rice and sada varan topped with ghee. Above it on the dish is served spiced rice like masale bhaat or pulao. On the top of the right side serve any curry like patad bhaji or paneer curry or bharleli vangi in a small plate or bowl. Below that on right side is batata chi sukhi bhaji. Below that is another sweet such as gulab jamun or srikhand. In the centre bottom of the dish serve poori or roti . The Maharastrian thali is ready to enjoy. But before that people will pray and thank to God for giving them such a lovely food.
I hope I have not missed any sequence. This way of serving the food can be still seen in a Maharashtrian wedding in some parts of Maharashtra. But slowly with the technology and nuclear families, these traditions are fading. I am so lucky that I got to be part of this lovely Maharashtrian family who taught me these traditions and always made me a part of each and every festivals and celebrations. I am thankful to this wonderful family who treated me more than their daughters and showered their unconditional love on me.
Koti koti pranam to
Sharad Agnihotri, Devisha Agnihotri, Manisha Agnihotri, Chinna Agnihotri,
Dilip Agnihotri, Chitra Agnihotri, Sumeet Agnihotri, Supriya Agnihotri
Prabodh Agnihotri, Jayshri Agnihotri, Shruti Agnihotri, Sneha Agnihotri,
Kishore Agnihotri, Jyoti Agnihotri, Gaurav Agnihotri, Rucha Agnihotri,
Rajendra Agnihotri, Shubhada Agnihotri, Sneha Agnihotri, Radhika Agnihotri
Rakshit Agnihotri, Rashmi Agnihotri, Rutvik Agnihotri, Rumani Agnihotri
Daddy, Attu, Animish Udhalikar
Love you and miss you all!!
I want Aarav(my son) to see and learn all this culture.
Friends hope you try this easy recipe and share your valuable feedback with me!
Khao dilse , khilao dilse aur banao dilse…
Mori Dal / Sada Varan / Plain Toor Dal
Equipment
- bowl
- pressure cooker
- spoon
- hand blender
- pot
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup toor dal split pigeon peas / arhaar dal
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida hing
- 1/2 tsp turmeric haldi
- 2.5 cup water
- salt as per taste
- 1 tsp lemon juice optional
- 1 tsp ghee to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Wash the toor dal for 3 times with water and then soak for one hour in a bowl.
- Put the bowl into the pressure cooker filled with some water. Cover the pressure cooker with lid and whistle and cook the toor dal for 3-4 whistles on high heat and 2 whistles on low heat.
- Let the pressure cooker cool by itself. Blend the dal with a hand whisk or spoon . Since my son loves the smooth texture of dal, I prefer blending the dal with a stick blender till smooth.
- Transfer the blended dal in a pot. Add turmeric powder, salt, and asafoetida (hing).
- Boil for 1 – 2 rise. Add lemon juice .
- Mix well. Switch off the heat. The dal is ready.
- Remove the mori dal / sada varan / plain toor dal in a bowl. Add some ghee and serve with roti, subji, rice and salad. You can give this dal to the toddlers as a nutiritious healthy toddler food.
Amazing!!