Garlicky Dal (Savory Lentils)

Submitted by kusum gupta

"From Recipes with a Spice - Indian Cuisine for Balanced Nutrition' by Kusum Gupta This dal is the perfect accompaniment to spicy vegetables, bread and rice. Use any kind of lentils. One of the favorites is a mix of split green & yellow Mung and split reddish Masoor. When cooked, dry dal becomes almost 4 times in volume. Serve it hot when well mixed and of semi-liquid consistency. It can be refrigerated or frozen."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup mung dal, with peel
• 1⁄2 cup masoor split dal
• 1⁄2 chopped onion
• 1 chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon oil

• Seasonings

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed green chili pepper
• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• Garnish

• 1 tablespoon green chopped coriander
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice

directions

1. Pick over dry dal for grit; rinse a couple of times and drain.
2. Bring to boil about 3 cups water in a 2-quart saucepan.
3. Add dal to hot water.
4. Stir in salt and turmeric powder.
5. (Water can boil over when dal is added; lower the heat as needed.) Partially cover and simmer on medium heat until dal is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
6. (Add hot water depending on the consistency desired.) Note: Split dal can be cooked in a slow cooker[2 to 3 hours] or in a pressure cooker for about 10 minutes.
7. To sauté, heat the oil in a small skillet on medium heat.
8. Add cumin seeds; as soon as they change color (few seconds), add garlic and onions.
9. Stir, sprinkling little water if needed, until onions are golden brown.
10. Add ginger and remaining seasonings (except tomatoes and garam masala); stir for a couple of minutes.
11. Add tomatoes and cook for another minute.
12. 5.
13. Mix the sautéed seasonings into the cooked dal and continue cooking on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until dal is thickened.
14. Add garam masala.
15. 6.
16. Serve hot, garnished with green coriander.
17. Optionally sprinkle lemon juice.
18. Variation 1: Use brown lentils, peeled yellow Mung, peeled light yellow Urad, or split dark yellow Toor (or a mix of them).
19. They take about 3 cups of water to 1 cup of dry dal and only 30 to 40 minutes to cook.
20. Variation 2: Use whole green Mung, whole black Urad, whole dark brown Masoor, whole yellow brownish Toor, or split yellow Chana (or a mix of them).
21. They take 3 to 4 cups of water to 1 cup of dry dal and longer to cook (about 1 hour).
22. (Takes 4 to 5 hours in slow cooker, 25 minutes in pressure cooker.) Healthy Alternative: Add some vegetable stock or 3 tablespoons of Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) when dal is half cooked.

Reviews

[Moyni]

This was exactly what I was looking for. Not sure what type of dal I used (small green/grey and split - they were unlabeled in a jar at the back of the cupboard). I put them with the boiling water in a slow cooker for about 4hrs. Just the right amount of zing from the spices, chilli and garam masala. A keeper for sure. Thanks.

 

[Mymble]

I was looking for a lentil recipe that would not be bland, and this was perfect - tasty, healthy, and a bit of bite to it. I used regular green lentils, and coriander powder (added with the other seasonings) instead of seeds. I also used a Thai chili-garlic sauce instead of the chili powder and chilis. And I omitted the garnish. AND I added in some quarter-slices of summer squash, swiss chard, and a few carrot rounds, and then served over rice. Yum! I'll definitely be making this again, and our houseguest asked for the recipe. Thanks for posting it!

 

[Latchy]

I found this very good as a basic recipe. I used red lentils and Indian Toor ("Harhar") Dhal. I added a carrot sliced and a bit of sweet potato to the recipe so as to have some vegetables with it. I cooked it for about 3/4 hour and it came out quite thick just how I like it. When serving it I added some baby spinach to have some green, just mixed it in with the hot dhal and just served it with some yoghurt with cucumber and mint (Kirakai Pudina Pacchhadi) and chappatis.