The first time I made keri ni dal in our kitchen, I treated the raw mango like a garnish and dumped it all in at the end. The bowl was so sharp it made my eyes water, and we ended up stirring in extra jaggery and a splash of water like we were fixing a science experiment. The lesson stuck: raw mango is not a polite squeeze of lemon. It is the main character, and it needs time to mellow into the tuvar dal the way Gujarati summers intend.
Keri ni dal — often called ambe dal in Gujarati homes — is a thin, tangy-sweet dal where grated kairi (raw green mango) cooks down with split pigeon peas until the sour note feels rounded, not shrill. It is the savoury side of mango season on our table, a cousin in spirit to a chilled glass of aam panna and a totally different story from fajeto, which is kadhi, not lentil dal.
If you have been looking for a keri ni dal recipe that tastes like April through June on a plate, this is it. Come cook it with me.
What is keri ni dal?
Keri ni dal translates to raw mango dal: tuvar dal (arhar) simmered with grated unripe mango, turmeric, and a simple Gujarati tempering. Some families call it ambe dal because amb is mango in Gujarati, and the name lands the way comfort food names do: short, specific, tied to the fruit that defines the season.
Unlike a tomato-forward everyday dal, this one gets its brightness from mango acidity and a little gud (jaggery) to balance. It is usually on the thinner side, almost soupy, which is how we like it in heat: with rice, a papad, maybe methi thepla rolled thin if we are feeling extra.
Why tuvar dal and raw mango work
- Plant protein: Tuvar dal keeps the bowl filling enough for lunch without leaning on dairy in the base.
- Vitamin C from raw mango: A small perk in a vegetarian kitchen where iron absorption matters, and it pairs naturally with lentil meals like our palak dal in the bigger picture of how we build plates. For more ideas in that lane, bookmark our iron rich vegetarian recipes round-up.
- Naturally vegan if you use oil: Many homes finish with ghee in the tadka. You choose what fits your table.
This is home cooking, not medical advice. Adjust salt, sweet, and sour to your own taste.
Why you will love this recipe
- Seasonal and specific: It tastes like mango season without repeating your ripe-mango dessert rotation.
- Pantry-friendly spices: Mustard, cumin, curry leaves, turmeric — nothing precious.
- Clear sour-sweet balance: You will know how to fix too sharp, too flat, or too thin.
- Good with rice or roti: Thin enough for rice, still scoopable with bread.
- Leftovers that bloom: A night in the fridge softens the edges of the sour note.
Ingredients
For the dal
- 1 cup tuvar dal (split pigeon peas), picked over and rinsed
- 2½ to 3 cups water for pressure cooking (see notes)
- ¾ to 1 cup tightly packed grated raw green mango (about 1 medium kairi), pitted and peeled before grating
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 to 2 tbsp grated jaggery (or 1 tsp sugar), to taste
- 2 to 2½ cups hot water after cooking, for thinning
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp oil (neutral) or ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 6 to 8 fresh curry leaves
- 1 to 2 dry red chilies, broken (optional)
- 1 small green chili, slit (optional)
To finish
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
- Cooked rice, jeera rice, or roti, for serving
Pro tip: Grate mango on the finer side of your box grater if you want it to melt into the dal faster. Coarser shreds give little pops of sour — lovely, but they take longer to mellow.
How to make keri ni dal
Pressure cooker method (our default)
- Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds. When they pop, add cumin, hing, curry leaves, dry red chili, and optional green chili. Stir a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add rinsed tuvar dal and turmeric. Stir to coat in the oil for 30 seconds.
- Add the pressure-cook water (start with 2½ cups). Add salt. Pressure cook on medium heat until the dal is completely soft — about 3 whistles on a stovetop cooker, then natural release, or follow your cooker chart for soaked or unsoaked tuvar. If unsure, err toward an extra splash of water rather than a scorched base.
- Open the cooker. Mash the dal lightly with the back of a spoon or give it a few pulses with an immersion blender if you want a smoother silkiness. I like a little texture left.
- Stir in grated raw mango and jaggery. Add hot water until the dal is thinner than you want to serve — it tightens as it simmers. Simmer open on medium-low 12 to 18 minutes, stirring often, until the mango no longer tastes aggressively raw and the sweet-sour balance tastes round. Taste every few minutes. This is the step that saved my first batch.
- Adjust salt, jaggery, and water. Finish with cilantro. Serve hot.
Stovetop simmer (no pressure cooker)
Soak tuvar dal 1 hour, drain, then simmer covered with water until very soft (often 45 to 60 minutes) before adding mango and continuing from step 5 of the pressure cooker method.
Tips from the stove
- Too sour: Add jaggery in small pinches, simmer 2 more minutes, repeat. A tiny bit of sugar works if you are out of gud.
- Too flat: Add a tablespoon more grated mango, simmer, taste. Lime juice at the very end is a last resort; it reads different than mango sour, so use sparingly.
- Dal too thick after resting: This dal is meant to be pourable. Reheat with hot water, not cold, for a gentle comeback.
- Pairing: Instant Pot jeera rice is an easy weeknight match. On cooler nights I still reach for mag ni chutti dal when I want greens: different mood, same love for Gujarati dal.
Keri ni Dal (Gujarati Ambe Dal with Raw Mango)
Ingredients
For the dal
- 1 cup tuvar dal split pigeon peas; picked over and rinsed
- 2½ to 3 cups water for pressure cooking
- ¾ to 1 cup tightly packed grated raw green mango about 1 medium kairi; peeled and pitted before grating
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 to 2 tbsp grated jaggery or 1 tsp sugar; to taste
- 2 to 2½ cups hot water after cooking for thinning
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 1 pinch asafoetida hing
- 6 to 8 fresh curry leaves
- 1 to 2 dry red chilies optional; broken
- 1 small green chili optional; slit
To finish
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
- Cooked rice, jeera rice, or roti, for serving
Instructions
Pressure cook the dal
- Heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker. Add mustard seeds. When they pop, add cumin, hing, curry leaves, dry red chili, and optional green chili. Cook until fragrant, a few seconds.
- Add rinsed tuvar dal and turmeric. Stir to coat in the oil for 30 seconds.
- Add pressure-cook water (start with 2½ cups) and salt. Pressure cook on medium until dal is very soft: about 3 whistles on a stovetop cooker, then natural release, or follow your cooker chart for tuvar. If unsure, err on a little extra water to avoid scorching.
- Open the cooker. Mash dal lightly with the back of a spoon, or pulse briefly with an immersion blender for extra silkiness if you like.
Simmer with mango
- Stir in grated raw mango and jaggery. Add hot water until the dal is thinner than you want to serve; it tightens as it cooks.
- Simmer uncovered on medium-low 12 to 18 minutes, stirring often, until mango no longer tastes harshly raw and sweet-sour tastes round. Taste often and adjust jaggery, salt, and water.
- Finish with cilantro. Serve hot with rice or roti.
Stovetop (no pressure cooker)
- Soak tuvar dal 1 hour, drain, then simmer covered with water until very soft, 45 to 60 minutes. Continue from the Simmer with mango step.
Notes
- Sour balance: if the dal is too sharp, add jaggery in small pinches and simmer 2 minutes between tastes. If too flat, add more grated mango in small amounts.
- Frozen grated raw mango: thaw and drain well; it can be more acidic, so add gradually.
- Vegan: use oil only in the tadka; skip ghee finishing.
- Leftovers: refrigerate up to 3 days in a shallow container; reheat with hot water to loosen. Flavour mellows overnight, so taste and adjust salt before serving.
- Instant Pot: pressure cook dal on High with natural release using your usual tuvar preset, then use Sauté on Low for the mango simmer so the bottom does not scorch.
FAQs
Can I use ripe mango instead of raw mango?
No — ripe mango will read sweet and fruity in a way that clashes with this savoury dal. For ripe mango in a Gujarati savoury lane, make fajeto (mango kadhi) instead.
Which dal is best for keri ni dal?
Split tuvar (arhar or toor) is traditional. Some households use moong dal for a lighter bowl; cook time and water ratios shift, so I only recommend that swap if you already know your moong timing.
Can I make this vegan?
Yes. Use oil in the tadka instead of ghee, and skip ghee finishing if you were planning one.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes. Cool completely, refrigerate up to 3 days, reheat with water to loosen. The flavour mellows overnight — taste before serving and adjust salt.
Can I use frozen grated raw mango?
You can, but thaw and drain excess water — frozen mango can be more acidic. Add in smaller increments, simmer, taste, then add more.
Instant Pot instead of a stovetop pressure cooker?
Pressure cook dal on High with natural release using your usual tuvar preset, then use Sauté low for the mango simmer so the bottom does not scorch.
Before you go
If you try keri ni dal, leave a comment and tell me — do you like yours on the sweeter side or the sharper side? I swing sharper in peak heat, sweeter when the monsoon starts knocking.
Made this? Share a photo and tag @petitepaprika on Instagram — I love seeing your kitchen creations!
