Jharkhand Gongura Sorrel Leaf Dal Sour Wild Tribal

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup toor dal
• 2 cups fresh gongura (Hibiscus sabdariffa leaves — naturally sour; substitute with baby spinach plus 1 tbsp tamarind paste)
• 3 cups water
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 2 green chillies — slit
• 2 garlic cloves — crushed
• For tempering:
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp panch phoran
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 5 curry leaves
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash toor dal. Pressure cook with 3 cups water and turmeric for 4 whistles until soft. Whisk lightly.
2. Add gongura leaves, slit green chillies and crushed garlic to the cooked dal.
3. Simmer on medium for 10 minutes until leaves completely wilt and dissolve their sourness into the dal.
4. Mash lightly. Season with salt. The dal should have a pronounced sour note from the gongura.
5. For tempering: heat 2 tbsp mustard oil to smoking.
6. Add panch phoran — sizzle. Add dried red chillies, asafoetida and curry leaves.
7. Pour over the dal. Stir. Serve with rice.