DAL (Indian Lentil Curry) Recipe

Item: DAL (Indian Lentil Curry)
Author: Mons Flavors

DAL (Indian Lentil Curry)

Total time:
40 mins

Ingredients:

½ Cup Masoor dal (Orange lentil)

½ Cup Moong dal (Yellow Lentil)

½ Cup – Red onion finely chopped

2 tablespoon – Oil or Ghee

1 teaspoon – Cumin seeds

¼ Teaspoon – asafoetida ( Hing )

½ Cup – Tomato Puree

2 Teaspoon – Coriander Powder

1 teaspoon – Garlic paste or fresh Chopped Garlic

1 Teaspoon – Ginger paste or Fresh Grated Ginger

½ Teaspoon – Red Kashmiri chilli Powder

1 Teaspoon – Turmeric powder

1 Teaspoon Monsflavors ( Spice Blend ) – Garam masala

1 Teaspoon – Mango powder or Lemon Juice

Salt to taste

2 Tablespoon Coriander leaves chopped finely

Dal is a popular Indian comforting dish that is a flavourful and tasty meal with bold flavours which comes from the combination of two lentils cooked together and seasoned with aromatic Mons garam masala spice blend. This dish makes a wonderfully nourishing meal. It’s really easy to make and can be put together on any day under 30 minutes.

Dal is something that we have been grown up having almost every day with rice or roti’s (Indian flatbreads). Different states have their different homely ways of preparing dal in their own way; I grew up watching my Grandfather cooking dal this way so I have never changed this recipe into my own style. The method might have changed a bit but I bet the taste is still the same. Every time I make this dal it reminds me of my grandfather’s dal.

And do you know why the taste is the same? Because Mons Garam masala spice blend recipe is passed on from my Grandfather to my mother and she passed on it to me. Lucky I feel that I am able to share this blend with you all through this deliciousness.

Method:

Mix both lentils in a bowl, rinse 2 to 3 times until the water becomes clear.

Pressure cook dal or cook it in a large pot over medium-high heat for 25 to 30 minutes adding ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, salt and 4 cups of water, while stirring occasionally stirring. The consistency of the dal can be adjusted by adding more water if you find it is thick for your liking.

Once dal is cooked, switch off the heat; leave it on the side covering with a lid until you prepare dal masala.

Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add Cumin seeds let seeds sputter, then add chopped onions and sauté well. Next, add ginger, garlic paste, give a good mix.

Once the onions are well cooked, add tomato puree or chopped tomatoes. Add remaining turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and coriander powder. Sauté well till tomatoes get well cooked.

Add Cooked dal. Mix well. Add lemon juice, season with garam masala and give a good mix. Add luke warm water if you need a soupy kind of texture. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Add coriander leaves and serve hot!

In India, dal is incomplete if it’s not served with a big scoop of ghee so don’t forget to add one.

MAKE THE TADKA

Tadka is simply an aromatic tempering for dal. There are many various ways of spice tempering’s from different regions in India but Tadka with Fresh chopped garlic, Curry leaves, Mustard seeds tampered in Ghee is one of my favourites. If you have attended my cooking sessions then you know what I am talking about.

# Heat oil in a small saucepan add asafoetida, garlic, mustard seeds, curry leaves, red chilli powder. Once it starts bringing out the aroma quickly remove from the heat and pour Tadka over the dal.

Garnish dal tadka with coriander leaves and serve hot

Notes:

Tadka is optional, if you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can easily make this dal (lentil ) dish in a stockpot or saucepan . Just use a deep heavy bottomed pan and make sure dal is soaked in water for at least 15 – 30 minutes. This will shorten the cooking time.