Lunch · Sakhree
Teedali Poath
Three-lentil curry
A medium-thick curry of three lentils — Bengal gram, pigeon pea (toor dal) and green gram — soaked, cooked soft, lightly mashed and finished with a ghee-and-cumin vaghar (tempering). Green chilli, ginger and dried raw mango bring heat and sourness.
Ingredients
Make
Measure in
Cups are shown in grams or ml; spoons stay as spoons. Panja Khada’s own weights are used where they give them (1 cup of flour is 150 g, rice or dal 200 g, curd 225 g, milk or water 240 ml), and standard kitchen weights otherwise.
For the lentil base
For the tempering (vaghar)
For the garnish
Method
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Wash the three lentils and soak them together in water for about . Drain, rinse again and put them in a deep toap (pot). Add water and cook on a medium flame until the lentils are tender.
Set the pot on a tawa (flat griddle) over a low flame. Stir in 1 tsp ghee and the asafoetida, and let it simmer for about .
Mash the lentils lightly to a semi-thick consistency — do not purée them completely. Stir in about 2 cups of water gradually to adjust the thickness. Add the salt, turmeric, chopped green chillies, chopped ginger, dried raw mango, dried red chilli and curry leaves. Mix well and bring to a boil.
Lower the flame and cook for another , stirring now and then so it does not stick.
For the vaghar. Heat the ghee in a small pan on a medium flame. Add the cumin seeds and let them splutter and darken slightly. Add the asafoetida and switch off the flame. Pour this over the lentil curry.
Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and serve piping hot.
My notes
Your family’s way with this recipe, or a reminder for next time. Kept on this phone or computer, and shown in cook mode.
Tips and variations
Keep the lentils slightly coarse instead of over-mashing. Use good-quality ghee for the vaghar. Adjust the water to taste; the traditional consistency is medium-thick.
Serve with
Traditionally enjoyed with Tari (sweet saffron rice) and choka (steamed rice). It also works with simple flatbreads.
Recipes mentioned here
Nutrition
EstimatedPer serving
660 kcal
- Protein
- 40 g
- Carbohydrate
- 112 g
- Fat
- 6 g
The recipe serves 4–5.
Whole recipe
2,960 kcal
- Protein
- 182 g
- Carbohydrate
- 505 g
- Fat
- 26 g
Everything in the ingredients list.
These are estimates, worked out from the amounts in the recipe and typical values for each ingredient. Portion sizes and the exact amount of oil, ghee or sugar can change them a lot. How we estimate
Good to know
Storage
Refrigerate 2–3 days; reheat with a splash of water; flavour deepens by the next day.
About this dishDid you know?, Cultural note
Did you know?
Combining several lentils improves nutrition and flavour; mixed-dal preparations are common in traditional cuisines.
Cultural note
Reflects simple, nourishing Thathai Bhatia home cooking, and using several lentils shows a thoughtful approach to balanced meals.
Where this recipe comes from
Recipe from Panja Khada by Bharat and Deepa Chachara.
See the original recipe and photos