Dairy-Free Mango Dal with Raw Green Mango (Easy Kairi Dal)
Tangy raw mango dal with tuvar dal: dairy free, no yogurt or cream in the base, ready in about 40 minutes. Perfect with rice or roti for summer lunches.
Equipment
- Pressure cooker, stovetop pressure cooker, or Instant Pot (6-quart)
- Small tadka pan or saucepan
Ingredients
For the dal
- 1 cup tuvar dal arhar dal, split pigeon peas; rinsed
- About 1/2 to 3/4 cup peeled raw green mango, chopped or grated (1 small mango)
- 3 cups water adjust for desired thickness
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 to 2 tsp jaggery or sugar optional, to balance sour mango
For the tadka
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or ghee if not vegan
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 pinch hing asafoetida
- 1 dried red chili broken
- 6 to 8 fresh curry leaves
- 1 green chili optional; slit
- 1 to 2 cloves garlic optional; thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp fresh ginger optional; thinly sliced
To finish
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
Instructions
Rinse the dal
- Rinse tuvar dal under cold water until the water runs mostly clear.
- Optional: soak 15 minutes for more even cooking (especially on stovetop).
Cook dal with mango
- Pressure cooker (stovetop): Combine rinsed dal, chopped raw green mango, turmeric, salt, and water. Cook on medium-high until dal is very soft: about 3 whistles if soaked, 4 to 5 if unsoaked. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes (timings vary by cooker).
- Stovetop pot: Simmer covered on low until dal is tender, 35 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding hot water if it sticks.
- Instant Pot: Pressure Cook on High for 8 to 10 minutes (soaked dal) or 10 to 12 minutes (unsoaked), then natural release. Check dal and mango are fully tender.
- Mango pieces should be soft enough to split with a spoon but not dissolved. If hard, simmer a few more minutes with the lid on.
Balance sweet and sour
- Taste the dal. If it is harshly sour, stir in jaggery or sugar a little at a time, simmer 2 minutes, and taste again. Adjust salt if needed.
Make the tadka
- Heat oil in a small pan over medium-high heat.
- Add mustard seeds; let them crackle. Add cumin, hing, dried red chili, and curry leaves (stand back; curry leaves splutter).
- If using, add garlic and/or ginger and cook about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Finish and serve
- Pour the tadka over the cooked dal. Stir and simmer 2 to 3 minutes so flavours meld.
- Garnish with cilantro. Serve hot with rice or roti. Thin with hot water if the dal thickens on standing.
Notes
Dairy free / vegan: use oil only in the tadka; skip ghee.
Frozen grated raw mango or bottled kairi pulp can substitute in small amounts; add gradually so the dal does not become too sour.
Storage: refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Sourness may increase overnight; adjust salt or a pinch of jaggery when reheating. Add a splash of water when reheating if thickened.
This is not the same as fajeto (yogurt-besan mango kadhi); this is lentil-based mango dal with tuvar dal.
Jain: omit garlic; use hing carefully to taste.
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