Best 5 Dal Soup Recipes

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**Discover the Delightful World of Dal Soup: A Culinary Journey Through Comfort and Flavor**

In the realm of hearty and comforting foods, dal soup reigns supreme. Hailing from the vibrant culinary traditions of India, dal soup is a delectable lentil-based dish that captures the essence of warmth and nourishment. Embark on a culinary adventure as we delve into the diverse recipes presented in this article, each offering a unique twist on this classic dish. From the traditional Tadka Dal to the innovative Dal Makhani, these recipes cater to every palate, promising an explosion of flavors and textures. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, let these recipes guide you towards creating a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds and leave you craving more.

Here are our top 5 tried and tested recipes!

INDIAN LENTIL SOUP (DAL SHORVA)



Indian Lentil Soup (Dal Shorva) image

An inexpensive, easy-to-make and delicious soup. This slightly modified recipe stems from Mumtaz Khan at Mumtaz Paan House in Bradford, England. Mung beans is the exquisite choice, but red or yellow lentils also make a delicious result (green lentils are not recommended). The chicken stock can be replaced with vegetable stock for a vegetarian variety. This recipe can also be made with less liquid and served as a stew.¨ Improvement, a little off tradition, but works even better: 1) Fry the lentils/beans for a few seconds in ghee before adding the spices and liquid. 2) Add just a little tomato purée (1 tsp) to the soup. 3) Add one diced potato together with the lentils/beans.

Provided by Andreacute Grisell

Categories     Lentil

Time 36m

Yield 4 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 1/2 cups red lentils or 1 1/2 cups yellow lentils
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
2 -3 curry leaves or 2 -3 bay leaves
6 cups chicken stock (preferably home-made) or 6 cups vegetable stock (preferably home-made)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or 3 tablespoons ghee
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1/2-1 lemon

Steps:

  • Rinse the beans or lentils.
  • Bring to a boil with the stock, turmeric, Cayenne, cumin, cardamom and curry/bay leaves.
  • Let simmer until the beans or lentils are very soft (ca 30 minutes).
  • If using bay leaves, remove them now. Curry leaves can be left in the soup.
  • Run the soup quickly in a blender to a not too smooth consistency (or mash the lentils/beans with a ladle).
  • Sautee the garlic and mustard seeds lightly in the fat and add to the soup.
  • Let simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Add salt, pepper and squeezed lemon to taste.
  • Serve hot with pita or paratha bread.

DAL SOUP



Dal Soup image

Provided by Food Network

Time 1h

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 20

2 tablespoons grape seed oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
2 tablespoons garam masala, recipe follows
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup brown lentils
5 cups water
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper
Few fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish
1/2 cup coriander seeds
1/2 cup cumin seeds
1/4 cup dried curry leaves* (See Cook's Note)
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
5 whole cloves
2 black cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 bay leaves
2 dried red chiles

Steps:

  • Heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to get hot. Add the garlic, garam masala, cumin seeds, and turmeric and cook for 20 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the lentils and water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat to low and cook until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes. Serve in a bowl and garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs.
  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
  • Combine the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and chiles on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 15 minutes.
  • Transfer the mixture to an electric spice grinder, or use a mortar and pestle and grind by hand. Grind to a fine powder. Store the garam masala in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

YELLOW MUNG DAL SOUP - DAL SHORBA



Yellow Mung Dal Soup - Dal Shorba image

I found this recipe on a blog written by a Lithuanian woman who now lives in India - she found the love of her life while studying in the US, he is Indian and so now she lives in India, and publishes the "Virtuve su indisku prieskoniu" blog (Kitchen with an Indian flavor). The author of the recipe is Sanjeev Kapoor.

Provided by duonyte

Categories     Beans

Time 1h20m

Yield 2-3 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 tablespoon neutral oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 -2 garlic clove, minced
3/4 inch slice fresh ginger, grated
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 cup mung dal (yellow lentils)
4 -5 cups water, I used 4 cups broth
1 -2 chili pepper, see note
1 -2 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon ground cumin
salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1 tablespoon lime juice
chopped fresh cilantro

Steps:

  • Note: I used 1/2 tsp of dried thyme and just crumbled it between my fingers. (That's before I realized the recipe actually called for turmeric, not thyme). If you don't like things too hot, slice the pepper in half and seed it and toss in the halves - retrieve them before pureeing/serving. The recipe called for water, but I used vegetable broth, which I think added to the flavor of the soup.
  • Wash and rinse the mung dal. The first package I bought was artificially colored - I washed it repeatedly until the water was quite clear, so check your package before buying!
  • Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, sauteing until it becomes translucent. Add the garlic and ginger, stirring, and cook briefly.
  • Add the turmeric.
  • Add the mung dal and 4 cups of broth or water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer. If you are using water, add salt at this point. Also add the chili peppers. Stir from time to time and skim off any foam. Add additional water, as needed. Simmer until the mung dal are quite soft, 30-45 minutes.
  • Puree at this point, if desired. If you are using chili halves, remove before pureeing. (The last time I made this I used a ripe jalapeno, and left it in . I did not puree it to the very end, leaving some texture and very pretty red chili flecks in the soup).
  • In a small skillet heat the butter until it foams. Add the cumin and stir it in for just a few seconds, then scrape it all into the saucepan. (The last few times I made this, I just sprinkled a little cumin on top, and that worked just as well, less work and fewer dishes to wash!).
  • Add the lemon or lime juice and ladle into bowls. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
  • This made two servings for me, but will probably make 3 to 4 for others.

INDIAN LENTIL DAL SOUP



INDIAN LENTIL DAL SOUP image

Categories     Soup/Stew     Bean

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 c. dried lentils (or 3 c. reconstituted)
4 c. vegetable broth
2 c. filtered water
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 tbsp cumin, ground (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. curry
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne
Soy sauce, to taste (up to 1/3 c.)

Steps:

  • The night before you want to make your dal, boil the lentils in water for 5 minutes and then discard the water. Soak the lentils overnight if you are using dried. Change the water once while soaking. When you are ready to use the lentils, discard the soak water. If you are using a pressure cooker to reconstitute the lentils, you can put them in the pressure cooker now. Otherwise, you can hang onto them and add them to the soup later. Chop the onion, carrots, and celery and add it to a saucepan over medium heat. Cover the saucepan and begin mincing the garlic. Then add the garlic to the saucepan. Occasionally, stir the veggies to distribute the heat and keep them from sticking to the pot. Once the onions are translucent, add the broth, water, beans, and spices. Cover the pot and simmer. If your beans are already cooked, you shouldn't have to cook the soup for long. If the lentils are soaked but uncooked, simmer the soup until the lentils are soft enough to eat. Last, add the soy sauce. Tips If you do not have lentils handy, you can use mung beans instead. You can add ginger or jalepenos to this soup if you wish. You can also add cilantro as a delicious garnish.

TOMATO DAL SOUP



Tomato Dal Soup image

Categories     Soup/Stew     Pepper     Tomato     Appetizer     Vegetarian     Spice     Legume     Lentil     Hot Pepper     Simmer     Gourmet

Yield Makes about 5 cups, serving 6

Number Of Ingredients 15

5 tablespoons picked-over split skinned toovar dal (a variety of pigeon pea, usually descibed as as yellow lentils)
4 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons ghee
1 1/2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
1 fresh hot red chile such as serrano or Thai, halved lengthwise
1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate
3/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon asafetida powder
3 fresh hot green chiles such as serrano or Thai, halved lengthwise
Garnish:
fresh cilantro sprigs

Steps:

  • Wash dal in several changes of water until water runs clear and drain well in a sieve. Cook dal at a bare simmer in 1 1/2 cups water in a 3-quart saucepan until most of water is evaporated and dal has consistency of a paste, 40 to 45 minutes, stirring frequently during last 15 minutes to prevent scorching.
  • Heat ghee in a 6-quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook mustard seeds and red chile, stirring, until seeds begin to pop. Add 1 1/2 cups water and remaining ingredients (but not dal paste). Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add dal paste and remaining cup water, stirring to incorporate. Bring rasam to a boil, stirring occasionally, and season with salt.

Tips:

  • Use high-quality lentils: To ensure the best flavor and texture, use split lentils that are fresh and free of debris.
  • Soak the lentils: Soaking the lentils before cooking helps to reduce cooking time and makes them easier to digest.
  • Use a variety of spices: Don't be afraid to experiment with different spices to create a unique flavor profile. Common spices used in dal soup include cumin, coriander, turmeric, and garam masala.
  • Add vegetables: Vegetables like carrots, celery, and potatoes are great additions to dal soup. They add flavor, texture, and nutrients.
  • Use a slow cooker: If you're short on time, you can make dal soup in a slow cooker. Simply add all the ingredients to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
  • Serve with rice or bread: Dal soup is traditionally served with rice or bread. This helps to soak up the delicious broth.

Conclusion:

Dal soup is a delicious, nutritious, and versatile dish that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With its simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, this soup is a great option for busy weeknights or lazy weekends. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give dal soup a try.

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