Sikkim Daal Bhat Tarkari Sikkim Nepali Complete Everyday Meal

The complete Sikkimese Nepali daily meal of lentil soup, steamed rice and seasonal vegetable sabzi — the most eaten meal in Sikkim served twice daily in millions of households.

Ingredients

For the dal:
1 cup masoor dal (red lentil) or any dal
2 tomatoes — chopped
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 cups water
For the dal tempering:
1 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 garlic cloves sliced, 2 dried red chillies, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
For the tarkari (vegetable):
2 medium potatoes — cubed
1 cup seasonal vegetable (green beans, spinach, pumpkin)
1 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, salt, fresh coriander
For serving: 2 cups steamed basmati or local mountain rice
For accompaniment: gundruk ko achar or any pickle

Method

Cook the dal: boil masoor dal with water, tomatoes and turmeric for 20 minutes until smooth.
Whisk. Season with salt. Make tempering — heat ghee, add cumin, fenugreek, garlic until golden, add dried chillies, turn off heat, add red chilli powder. Pour over dal.
Cook the tarkari: heat oil. Add cumin — sizzle.
Add potato cubes. Add turmeric and coriander powder.
Cook 5 minutes. Add seasonal vegetable. Add salt and 1/4 cup water. Cover and cook 12 minutes until all vegetables are tender. Uncover, dry 2 minutes. Add coriander.
Cook the rice: wash 2 cups rice. Cook in 3.5 cups water on lowest heat covered for 18 minutes.
Assemble the plate: steamed rice in the centre, dal poured over one side, tarkari on another side.
Place gundruk ko achar as a condiment. Serve with a glass of chaas (buttermilk).