Do you have a dish or a recipe that is super simple and basic, but is still iconic, and particularly special to you and the community you come from, because it is more than just a dish, it also is a representative of your unique culinary heritage? That is what Dalitoy is. To most of the Konkani GSB community. And of-course there are many other dishes that also are unique (and equally special) to Konkani GSB cuisine like the upkaris, talasanis, ghashis and ambats. But for me it all begins with dalitoy and sheet (rice in konkani). And so that’s what I am sharing today. The humble, yet iconic, Dalithoy, that is so well loved. If you are new to this dish, just try it once. I assure you, you too will fall in love with this quick and easy, yet delicious version of dal.
What is Dalitoy
Dalithoy is a quick and simple, yet flavorful Konkani style dal that is a staple in Konkani GSB households. It is traditionally made using toor dal, and tempered with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and asafoetida powder.
Ingredients for Dalitoy
Ingredient notes
Kind of dal – I always use toor dal to make dalitoy, because that’s what my mom always used. You can use any kind of yellow dal that you prefer. Ghee vs coconut oil – As you can see above, I have used ghee for tempering / tadka, you can also use coconut oil, or your preferred oil. But I recommend preferably going with either ghee or coconut oil.
How to Make Dalitoy
Here I am using 1 cup of toor dal to make dalitoy, which is good enough for about 6 people. And I have already boiled it.I usually use my Instant Pot to boil dal, in which, for 1 cup of dal, I use 3 cups water, and pressure cook on high for 14 minutes, and then let all the pressure release naturally from the pot. If you want to make more or less quantity than what I have shared, simply use the slider in the recipe card below to adjust the quantities based on your preference.
Step by Step Instructions
To begin with, in a pot, add the boiled dal, along with 1½ teaspoon salt (or to taste), 2 green chillies (slit in two halves), and 1 cup of water, to thin out the dal a bit.Mix everything together, and heat the dal on medium flame, till it comes to a proper boil.
Then in a small tadka pan, lightly heat up 1½ tablespoon of ghee.To it, add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds, and wait for a few seconds, till it starts to crackle.Now add 15 curry leaves, lightly roast it for a few seconds, then add ½ teaspoon of asafoetida powder (hing), mix it in, and let it roast for another few seconds, and then turn off the flame.Add the tempering to the dal, which must have come to a proper boil by now, and mix it in. Dalitoy is ready to be served.
Note
I prefer a dal consistency that is not too thick but not watery either, so I have tailored the quantity of water in the dal based on my preference. Feel free to adjust the quantity of water based on your preferences. Just also remember to adjust the salt accordingly.
Variations
You can use roasted dry red chillies instead of green chillies if that’s what you prefer. You can also use red chillies in addition to green chillies, by adding red chillies in the tadka.You can also add a spoon of urad dal in the tadka, right at the beginning, before adding the mustard seeds, curry leaves, and hing.A few versions of daalitoy also use adrak/ginger, that you can chop finely and add in dal or tadka.
Serving Suggestion
Dalithoy is best served with rice, papad & pickle. It’s the ultimate comforting combination. Even better if paired with batata upkari (konkani style potato stir fry) or beans talasani (konkani style garlic-y green beans stir fry).
More konkani recipes to try..
⭐ Rulaav ( Konkani Style Upma)⭐️ Chana Ghashi (Black Chickpea Curry)⭐ Prawns Phanna Upkari (Shrimp Curry) ⭐ Churmundo (Wheat Flour Ladoo) As always, I hope you found this recipe useful. If you did, please let me know your rating ⭐️ and feedback 📲 in the comments below, or simply rate the recipe right on the recipe card. I’d really appreciate it. ❤️
📖 RECIPE
This recipe was first published in Jan 2021, and has been republished with updated instructions, notes & tips, step images, as well as video in Apr 2022. If you’d like FREE recipes and meal prep ideas delivered directly to your email inbox every Friday in one short email, then subscribe to the Foodie Friday list HERE, and never run out of ideas on what to cook over the weekend or prep for the week ahead. 🙂
