Thakkali char

Thakkali char is a very mild yet flavorful tomato broth popular among Sourastrians. Not to be confused with the thakkali charu of andhraites. This is a mild dish and there is no addition of tamarind water or rasam powder. Traditionally dal water or the water in which rice has been washed is used in the preparation of this dish. But It also add the dal along with its water. The addition of dal gives a good texture and volume to this dish. 

Tomato char spells comfort when had with hot steaming rice and a dollop of ghee with some spicy veg curry. 

Ingredients

1/4 cup toor dal

1 small onion

2 large tomato

3 green chillies, 1 red chilli

1 inch ginger (finely grated) (optional)

1 ts mustard seed

1/2 ts turmeric powder

1/2 ts sambar powder (optional)

1/4 ts hing

Few curry leaves

Handful of coriander leaves

Ghee and oil as per need

Preparation

- Pressure cook toor dal with enough water, a pinch of hing and turmeric powder.

- Heat ghee in a small pan. Temper ghee with mustard seed, green chillies, red chilli, hing, turmeric powder, ginger and curry leaves.

- Heat oil in a kadai. Add thinly sliced onions and cook until translucent.

- Add the chopped tomatoes with salt and cook until they turn mushy. 

- Add around 2-3 cups of water. Allow it to boil over.

- Now add the cooked dal, prepared seasoning, sambar powder and chopped coriander leaves to the broth. Add enough salt and mix everything well.

- Simmer for around 5-10 minutes until all flavors intermingle well.