Red Lentil Dhal

Submitted by PetsRus

"Toasting and grinding your seeds is so worth the effort, and doesn't take long at all. Serve this dhal as a main dish with rice or as a side dish. It is aromtaic, rich and delicious."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Serves: 6

ingredients

• 3 tablespoons peanut oil
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dried red lentils
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 -5 4 -5 cups water or 4 -5 cups vegetable broth
• 5 plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1 lime, juice of
• 1 cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro

• Spice blend

• 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 dried red chilies (seeds removed)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

directions

1. In a saute pan over medium heat, toast the seeds (but not the dried red chili) for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from pan and let cool.
3. Transfer to coffee grinder, along with the dried red chili and cinnamon, and grind to a fine powder.
4. Over medium-high heat oil a soup pot, add onions and saute for 5 minutes.
5. Add garlic and ginger and saute 5 more minutes.
6. Add spices and salt, saute 5 minutes more.
7. Add 4 cups of liquid (stock, water or broth) and stir to deglaze the pot.
8. Add tomato paste and lentils.
9. Bring to a boil then lower the heat a bit and simmer for 20 minutes.
10. Add the tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro and more water if it looks to thick.
11. Simmer 10 more minutes, or until lentils are completely tender.

Reviews

[Bunny Erica]

This was a really different and delicious dhal. My sister cooked it for me and I have added it to my own cookbook now for future reference. It is a bit lighter and tastier than other dhals I have made and the tomatoes really make a meal of it in itself, rather than as a side dish. Excellent, thanks.

 

[Charishma_Ramchandani]

This is a delicious and very flavourful dark reddish brown colour lentil heaven in a pot! I made this for lunch this afternoon for myself and a few friends. It is just delish! I did not have on hand was the peanut oil, so I used just 1 tbsp. of Sunflower cooking oil as a substitute. I also substituted the yellow onion with a regular purple one. It is hard to get plum tomatoes here, so I used the regular ones{3 medium sized ones}. The spice blend is EXCELLENT and really perked up the flavours in this recipe. The next time I make this, I will use just 1/2 lemon, juice of instead of 1 whole because that became a little over-powering for my taste. This went very well with white rice{spiced with cardamoms and cloves - a recipe I learnt from a chef and posted y'day}. This one is a keeper and a really nice flavourful dal. I also served this with a beautiful salad{recipe # 112252} and it was a tongue-blowing delight! Thank you for posting!

 

[Kiwi-chef]

Wow, that was the best Dhal I ever had. Thanks for the recipe. If you soak the lentils for a day the cooking time is just half as in the recipe. Doing this you need only 1 cup of water. I agree with Charishma 1/2 lemon is better.

 

[kaffirlily]

This is a fantastic dhal recipe, and certainly grinding the spices was worth the effort. I didn't have any fenugreek, nor did I have any dried chillies (I used chilli flakes instead), but it worked just fine. I made half the amount, and added some steamed vegies for a delicious and filling meal for two, with some left over for my lunch the next day – it was still delicious!

 

[eeee8354]

This was very different, you have to love cilantro though wich I do. Refreshing as the other poster said. Very satisfying taste combonation.