Varn (Goan Style)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup arhar dal(toor dal)

1/2 cup grated coconut

1 tsp jeera

1/2 tsp haldi powder

1 tsp sugar

1 cup water

salt to taste

for the tempering:

1 tsp ghee

1/2 tsp oil

pinch of hing

7-8 karipatta

1/4 tsp rai

Method:

• Wash the arhar dal and soak for 15 minutes.
• In a pressure cooker add the dal, water, haldi powder and salt and cover with the lid. Cook for one whistle on high and two whistles on sim. Switch off the flame and let the pressure drop by itself.
• In a mixie add the grated coconut, jeera and ground to fine paste. Keep aside.
• Heat a small kadai for tempering, heat ghee and oil on medium high flame. Add the mustard seeds, when the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add the karipatta leaves and hing.
• Add the tempering over the cooked dal. Mix well.
• Add the ground coconut paste to the dal and cook the dal in the uncovered pressure cooker.
• Add sugar and bring to a boil.
• Serve hot with rice!!!

Tips:

• This is my version of the varn. You can add jeera while boiling the dal.
• You may add grated coconut only instead of the ground coconut (and jeera while boiling the dal). However I prefer to add the ground coconut.
• Many do not prefer to give the tempering of rai to this recipe.
• You can add jaggery instead of sugar.
• If you want the consistency of the dal to be thinner, add water along with the coconut.
• You can add 1 tbsp of water while grinding the coconut.
• This is a very light dal and taste fantastic with rice.