Everyday Dal
Published March 28, 2024
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1cup red lentils (also known as red split lentils or masoor dal)
- 1teaspoon ground turmeric
- Salt
- 3tablespoons ghee
- 2teaspoons cumin seeds
- ⅛ to ¼teaspoon ground red chile
- ⅛teaspoon asafetida (optional but extremely good, see Tip)
- Rice or roti, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
348 calories; 10 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 1 gram sugars; 14 grams protein; 195 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Combine the lentils (no need to rinse them) with the turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups of water in a medium saucepan. If you like your dal a little soupier, add an extra cup of water here. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the lentils resemble a loose porridge. If the lentils are too thick, add a little hot water.
- Step 2
In a small pan or pot, melt the ghee over medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Let them cook until they are aromatic and a darker shade of brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the red chile powder and asafetida, let them toast for a few seconds until fragrant (the asafetida will give off a garlic-esque scent), then remove from the heat.
- Step 3
Taste the lentils and add more salt if desired. Pour the hot ghee over the lentils — you can either stir to combine or leave it be, for a dramatic presentation — and serve with rice or roti.
- Asafetida is a tree resin used commonly as a seasoning in South Asian cuisines. It has a wonderfully potent, sort of allium-esque flavor that adds depth to many dishes. It can be ordered online or found in South Asian grocery stores, and it is worth going out of your way to purchase — it really makes this dish sing. An imperfect but somewhat suitable substitute is garlic powder.
Private Notes
Comments
Much as I love Priya Krishna, it is impossible to cook Dal of any type so quickly. One the source of heat, is it electric, gas, induction etc? Two the size & type of pot. Three the dal to water ratio. Four with or without a lid. Seriously it is no joke. And it is vital to add salt AFTER cooking as it will affect the texture. Ginger & Garlic are essential ingredients. Washing the dal ten times is a must. With an Instant Pot I make it in 17 minutes flat. Pure joy with the Instant Pot.Enjoy.
Cannot beat the Bob’s Red Mills dal recipe found on their bag of red lentils. My Indian neighbor asked me for the recipe!
I make this dish regularly. It's so easy, quick, and delicious. Depending on my mood, I'll temper the dal with the ghee and spices at the end, like this recipe does. Other times, I'll bloom all the spices (turmeric, cumin, and chili peppers) first in ghee and then add grated garlic and ginger before adding in the red lentils and water. I usually use 4 cups of water because we like it on the soupy side. I always serve it with a side of basmati rice. So good!
I don’t know where I went wrong, but this was the blandest thing I’ve ever eaten. Even with the asafetida.
We love this recipe, especially for our 10 month old baby. He loves it as a soup and it’s made so quickly! Only a tiny bit of salt, no chile & asafetida, but yes to the rest of the ingredients.
I was skeptical of this recipe at first because it has no onion/garlic/ginger and seems impossible simple. We tried it anyway and I am so glad we did. It tastes very different than the dals we typically make/eat but is delicious in its own way. Oh... and it comes together in no time. Perfect for a busy night.