EASY DAL

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Easy Dal image

This recipe by Madhur Jaffrey from her cookbook 'An Invitation to Indian Cooking' is North India's most popular dal, and it's eaten with equal relish by toothless toddlers, husky farmers, and effete urban snobs. You can use white urad dal, the salmnon-colored masoor dal, and the large arhar or tovar dal as well. The roasted whole cumin seeds added at the end gives this dish a nice touch. Serve with plain rice and a vegetable for a simple meal. Most meat and chicken dishes go well with this dal.

Provided by tigerduck

Categories     Asian

Time 1h40m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 1/2 cups red lentils
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 slices peeled fresh ginger, 1 inch square and 1/8 inch thick
1 teaspoon chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (original recipe says three tbsp) or 2 tablespoons ghee (original recipe says three tbsp)
1 pinch ground asafoetida powder
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed
lemons (optional) or lime wedge, to serve (optional)

Steps:

  • Clean and wash the lentils thoroughly. Put them in heavy-bottomed 3-4 quart pot, add 5 cups water, and bring to a boil. Remove the froth and scum that collects at the top. Now add the garlic, ginger, fresh coriander (or keep it and use it as a garnish at the end), turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, lower heat, and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionaly. When dal is cooked, add the salt and lemon juice (it should be thicker than pea soup, but thinner than cooked cereal.
  • In a 4-6-inch skillet or small pot, heat the vegetable oil or ghee over a medium-high flame. When hot, add the asafetida and cumin seeds. As soon as the asafetida sizzles and expands and the cumin seeds turn dark (this will take only a few seconds), pour the oil and spices over the dal (lentils) and serve. (Some people put the dal in a serving dish and then pour the oil and spices over it.).
  • To serve: Serve with plain rice and a vegetable for a simple meal. Most meat and chicken dishes go well with this dal. Since some people like to squeeze extra lemon or lime juice on their dal, serve some wedges separately. Note: Finely sliced onion rings, fried until brown and crisp, are often spread over the dal as a garnish before it is served.

Lalisa Bekuma Merga
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This dal is a great way to use up leftover vegetables.


Jawed Baber
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I'm so glad I found this dal recipe. It's a keeper!


Trokon Scotland
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This dal is the perfect comfort food.


Adam Canada
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I love that this dal is made with all natural ingredients.


Mouzaideen Bheekhoo
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This dal is so easy to make and it's so delicious.


Tabitha Kile
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I made this dal for a potluck and it was a huge hit. Everyone loved it!


Ryan Slade
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This dal is a great way to get your daily dose of protein and fiber.


Desu tube
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I'm not a big fan of lentils, but this dal was really good. I'll definitely be making it again.


Aushinique Deal
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This dal is so flavorful and easy to make. I love that it's also a healthy dish.


Best Future
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I've made this dal several times and it's always turned out great.


Jenie Bennett
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This is my go-to dal recipe. It's always a hit with my family and friends.


Ali Farooz
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I made this dal last night and it was delicious! I used red lentils and added some chopped spinach to the pot. It was a quick and easy meal to make and it was very filling.


MD Sojib Ahmed
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This dal recipe is a great way to use up leftover lentils. It's also a very healthy and flavorful dish.


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