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Indian cooking / Dishes / Parsi Masala Ni Daar
Parsi Masala Ni Daar (Toor Dal with Ghee, Chilli, Roasted Peanuts and Mango Powder)

Parsi Masala Ni Daar

Toor Dal with Ghee, Chilli, Roasted Peanuts and Mango Powder
VegetarianOrigin West

A soft toor dal finished with ghee-fried onion, tomato and chilli, a coarse toasted spice-nut blend and a sour lift from dried mango powder. It tastes comforting and gently tangy, with a warm chilli edge and a nutty aroma.

Turmeric for dal and fry

3 gSplit between the dal (step 1) and the tomato fry (step 6)
01
Ground turmeric · Haldi
3 g1 teaspoon
spice
Divide into two equal halves: one for the dal, one for the tomato fry.

Toasted masala

6 gDry-toasted and ground before it goes into the pan (step 4)
01
Kashmiri red chilli · Kashmiri Lal Mirchdried
3 g2 chillies
spice
02
Cumin seed · Jeera
2.1 g1 teaspoon
spice
03
White poppy seeds · Khus Khus
1.4 g½ teaspoon
nut/seed
Dry-toast with the peanut and sesame, cool, then grind to a coarse powder.

Mango powder finish

9 gStirred in off the heat at the end (step 9)
01
Dried mango powder · Amchoor
9 g3 teaspoons
spice
Keep dry; stir it in at the very end.

Everything else

01
Pigeon peas · Toor Dal
200 g
legume
02
Water · Paani
1093 g1.1 l
liquid
03
Ghee
26 g2 tablespoons
oil/fat
04
Onion · Pyazfinely chopped
100 g
vegetable
05
Green bird's eye chilli · Kantharifinely chopped
3 g2 chillies
vegetable
06
Tomato · Tamatarfinely chopped
150 g
vegetable
07
Coriander · Dhaniafinely chopped
4.5 g3 tablespoons
herb
08
Granulated sugar · Cheeni
~0.3 gpinch
sweetener
09
Salt · Namak
to taste
salt
10
Peanut · Moongphaliroasted
9 g1 tablespoon
nut/seed
11
Sesame seed · Til
3 g1 teaspoon
nut/seed

Method

  1. In a heavy pan, combine 200 g toor dal, 1000 g of the 1093 g water and half the turmeric for dal and fry.
  2. Simmer on medium for 40–45 minutes, stirring regularly, until the grains crush easily; add a little extra water only if needed.
  3. Roughly mash the dal and leave aside.
  4. For the toasted masala, dry-toast 5 g kashmiri chilli, 2.1 g cumin seed and 1.4 g white poppy seeds with 9 g peanut and 3 g sesame seed in a pan on medium for 3–4 minutes, until fragrant. Tip out, cool, then grind to a coarse powder.
  5. Heat 26.4 g ghee in a wide pan over medium heat. Add 100 g onion and fry for 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly golden.
  6. Add 4 g green bird’s eye chilli, 150 g tomato and the remaining turmeric for dal and fry. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until the tomato softens.
  7. Stir in half the coriander (2.25 g of the 4.5 g) and the toasted masala. Fry for 2 minutes.
  8. Add the cooked dal, 0.3 g granulated sugar, the remaining 93 g water and salt to taste. Simmer on low for 1 minute.
  9. Remove from the heat. Stir in the mango powder finish and the remaining 2.25 g coriander. Serve with plain rice.

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Toor dal
  • Red lentils

    Use equal weight. Cooks considerably faster and breaks down into a softer, creamier consistency with an earthier taste.

  • Chana dal

    Use equal weight. Requires longer soaking and cooking; remains firmer with a nuttier bite and less starchy thickening.

  • Split mung beans

    Use equal weight. Cooks quickly to a lighter, more delicate, and silky texture.

Water
  • Stock

    Use the same weight in savoury dishes; it adds body, so adjust salt.

  • Milk

    Use the same weight only in doughs or creamy dishes; it makes the result richer.

  • Coconut water

    Use the same weight in curries or rice; it adds sweetness and a faint coconut taste.

Ghee
  • Unsalted butter

    Use 120% of the weight; melt gently over low heat to avoid burning the milk solids, which will yield a softer, creamier richness rather than a nutty aroma.

  • Vegetable oil

    Use 85% of the weight; holds high cooking temperatures without smoking, but the final dish will lack traditional dairy depth.

  • Mustard oil

    Use equal weight; heat to smoking point and cool slightly before cooking, bearing in mind it introduces an assertive, pungent edge.

Onion
  • Shallot

    Use equal weight, finely sliced. Shallots soften and brown faster, giving a slightly sweeter and more delicate base to curries.

  • Cabbage

    Use 80% of the weight, finely shredded and browned slowly with a pinch of asafoetida. Replicates the bulk and natural sweetness in gravies without allium.

Green bird's eye chilli
  • Bird's eye green chilli

    Use the same weight; heat and flavour are very close.

  • Green chilli

    Use 1.5 to 2 times the weight; deseed for less heat. Larger chillies are more watery.

  • Fresh green chilli

    Use 1.5 to 2 times the weight; chop finely and adjust heat by tasting.

Ground turmeric
  • Ground ginger

    Use 50% of the weight. Mimics turmeric's warm, earthy, rhizome background, but provides none of the golden-yellow colour.

  • Saffron

    Steep a tiny pinch (0.1 g per 2 g turmeric) in 2 tbsp warm water; use to match the rich golden hue. Contributes an aristocratic, honeyed floral flavour rather than earthy bitterness.

Tomato
  • Tomato purée

    Use 40% to 50% of the fresh tomato weight mixed with a splash of water. Imparts a deeper red colour, thicker sauce, and slightly sweeter cooked flavour.

  • Plain yogurt

    Use 60% of the weight, whisked smooth and added on low heat. Provides rich body and sourness, though the gravy becomes paler and creamier.

Coriander
  • Coriander leaf

    Use equal weight, chopped fresh and stirred in off the heat or used as garnish. Matches the citrus-herbal profile identically.

  • Mint

    Use 40% to 50% of the weight; chop finely and add at the very end. Adds fresh herbal brightness, but shifts the aroma toward cool menthol.

Granulated sugar
  • Jaggery

    Use equal weight; grate or shave finely so it dissolves rapidly, giving a warm, caramel-like sweetness and slightly darker sauce.

Amchoor powder
  • Ground dried mango powder

    Use the same weight; same sour mango flavour. Add early so it can soften into the dish.

  • Dried mango powder

    Grind to a powder and use the same weight. Slightly coarser unless finely ground.

  • Lemon juice

    Use 5–6 times the weight, e.g. 1 tsp powder to about 5 tsp juice; add off the heat. Wetter and fresher-tasting.

Peanut
  • Roasted peanut

    Use the same weight; adjust salt if they are already salted, and crush or grind as the recipe asks.

  • Cashew nut

    Use the same weight; they are richer and softer, so roast for a shorter time and reduce added fat.

  • Almond

    Use the same weight; blanch and peel for sauces, or chop for texture. They are firmer and less oily.

Kashmiri red chilli
  • Dried kashmiri chilli

    Use the same weight; soak in hot water and grind if a paste is needed. Same mild heat and deep colour.

  • Mild dried red chilli

    Use the same weight but deseed; taste first as heat varies. May be hotter and less fruity.

  • Kashmiri red chilli powder

    Use half the weight, e.g. 1 g powder for 2 g whole; add with liquid. Good colour, less whole-chilli texture.

Cumin seed
  • Ground cumin

    Use 70% of the weight; add with ground spices or sauce bases rather than hot oil tempering, where it scorches quickly and turns bitter.

  • Black cumin seeds

    Use equal weight for oil tempering. Delivers an earthy profile with an additional musky, smoky, and slightly bitter edge.

  • Fennel seed

    Use 60% of the weight for tempering; offers comparable warm aroma, but leans sweet and liquorice-like rather than savoury and earthy.

White poppy seeds
  • Poppy seed

    Use the same weight; grey seeds make a darker paste but taste close.

  • White sesame seed

    Use the same weight, lightly toasted; the paste is nuttier and less thickening.

  • Cashew nut paste

    For 10 g poppy seeds use about 15 g cashew nut paste; it thickens more, so reduce other thickeners.

Sesame seed
  • White sesame seed

    Use the same weight. Toast lightly before use; white seeds are milder and give a cleaner look.

  • Black sesame seed

    Use the same weight. They are stronger and more bitter; toast briefly and use slightly less if the dish is delicate.

  • Peanut

    Use the same weight, crushed or chopped. It gives crunch but not the same nutty sesame aroma.

Similar dishes

Tadka Dal (Indian Kitchen)
Tadka Dal tastes savoury, gently spicy and slightly tangy, but it lacks this dish's nutty aroma, ghee richness and dried mango powder tang.
  • Same: Tadka Dal and this dish are both soft dal dishes finished with onion, tomato and green chilli, and both use turmeric, cumin and a little sugar.
  • Different: Tadka Dal uses masoor dal and vegetable oil with mustard seed, curry leaf and garlic, while this dish uses toor dal and ghee with peanuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, Kashmiri chilli and dried mango powder as the souring agent.
Hyderabadi Khatti Dal
Toor Dal with Curry Leaves, Tamarind, Chilli and Coriander
Hyderabadi Khatti Dal tastes more tart and garlicky with curry-leaf and mustard notes, while this dish tastes gently tangy and nutty with a ghee and warm chilli edge.
  • Same: Both are soft toor dal dishes cooked with turmeric, green bird’s eye chilli and tomato.
  • Different: Hyderabadi Khatti Dal is soured with tamarind paste and finished with a garlic, curry-leaf and black mustard seed tadka in vegetable oil, while this dish uses dried mango powder and a ghee-fried onion-tomato-chilli base with toasted peanuts, poppy seeds and sesame seeds.
Aamati
Sweet & Tangy Yellow Dal
Aamati tastes sweeter and more sharply chilli-hot from sugar and 24 g green chilli, while this dish is gently tangy from mango powder with a nutty ghee aroma.
  • Same: Both are toor dal curries with turmeric, onion, tomato, green chilli, salt and coriander.
  • Different: Aamati uses vegetable oil, mustard seed, asafoetida and garam masala, and it lacks this dish's ghee, peanuts, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cumin, Kashmiri chilli and dried mango powder.
Punjabi Langarwalli Dal
Split Urad Dal with Ginger, Tomatoes, Dried Chillies and Turmeric
Punjabi Langarwalli Dal tastes earthy, mild and aromatic with ginger and dried-chilli heat, while this dish is gently tangy and nutty with a warm chilli edge.
  • Same: Punjabi Langarwalli Dal shares soft-cooked dal, ghee, tomato, green chilli, turmeric, Kashmiri chilli, cumin and coriander with this dish.
  • Different: Punjabi Langarwalli Dal uses split urad dal and more water, adds asafoetida, fresh ginger, garam masala and dried red chilli, and finishes with a cumin-chilli ghee tadka rather than this dish's onion-tomato-chilli ghee and toasted peanut-poppy-sesame blend, with no dried mango powder.