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You are here: Home / Recipes / Appetizers / INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

02/19/2016 by Filippo Trapella 24 Comments

Red lentils dal recalls me my first trip in Asia. It was July 1999, and in that time I used to live for travelling. The fist region I visited was North India. I was vegetarian, and on shoestring, so between me and any kind of dal was love at first sight!

Preparing red lentils dal is very simple, but is mandatory pay very attention to the spices, they must be of first quality. Cooking with vegetable oil instead ghee, makes this recipe a good source of protein for vegan diet.

INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

 

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red-lentils-dal

  • 1 lb (450 g) split red lentils
  • 1 cup (150 g) onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 6 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp red chili peppers flakes
  • 1 tbsp whole fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp whole black mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 dash nutmeg powder
  • 1 clove
  • to taste table salt


INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

FIRST STEPS

Before starting cooking, is very important makes all the ingredients ready-to-use.

First, mince finely the cloves of garlic and combine with the seeds of fennel,  cumin and black mustard, and the chilly peppers flakes, and 1 clove.

Now, chop at medium size the onions , and peel and grate the fresh ginger. Finally, mix all the powered spices.

INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

GHEE OR OIL?

If you are not following a special diet, I strongly suggest to use ghee to cook, its makes the red lentils dal flavor unique and tasty! Otherwise, peanuts or sunflowers oil are a good to prepare this recipe. Olive oil instead has a taste too strong and far from Indian style.
INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

RED LENTILS DAL

Pour 4 tbsp of ghee or vegetable oil into a bottom-thickened heavy pot, and place over medium heat.

When the ghee is totally melted and hot, pour the garlic and seeds mixture, and stir-fry for 30-60 seconds.

Keep an eye on the garlic pieces: they have to become golden but not burned. When the garlic is ready, pour the onions and stir well. Cook stirring occasionally until the onion are smooth and translucent.

Meanwhile, the onions and seeds are cooking, wash and rise the lentils. When the onions are ready, pour the lentils into the pot, and stir fry for a couple of minute.

Now, add  5 cups of hot water, the mixture of powered spices, the fresh ginger, and the tomato puree. Stir well, and set the heat to cook gently simmering.

Cook 25-30 minute adding more water only if the dal is becoming too thick. When the lentils are starting to be mushy, they are ready.

Finally ad salt as needed, cook another 2-3 minutes, and add fresh cilantro before serving.

INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

SERVING AND CONSERVATION

Serve the red lentils dal with steamed white rice, naan, chapati bread, and all the Indian dish you prefer. It is possible conserve the red lentils dal filed into a box and stored in fridge up to 3 days.

Did you like these recipe? please click here, leave a comment and vote 5 stars!
This simple action help the growth of this blog and make me very happy 🙂

TAKE A LOOK AT THIS

lentils and peas soup with diced toasted bread

lentils and peas soup with diced toasted bread

PRINTABLE VERSION

Yield: 8

INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

INDIAN RED LENTILS DAL (masoor dal)

Red lentils dal recalls me my first trip in Asia. It was July 1999, and in that time I used to live for travelling. The fist region I visited was North India. I was vegetarian, and on shoestring, so between me and any kind of dal was love at first sight!

Preparing red lentils dal is very simple, but is mandatory pay very attention to the spices, they must be of first quality. Cooking with vegetable oil instead ghee, makes this recipe a good source of protein for vegan diet.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 lb (450 g) split red lentils
  • 1 cup (150 g) onions, chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 6 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp fresh cilantro
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 4 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp red chili peppers flakes
  • 1 tbsp whole fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp whole black mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 dash nutmeg powder
  • 1 clove
  • to taste table salt

Instructions

FIRST STEPS

  1. Before starting cooking, is very important makes all the ingredients ready-to-use.
  2. First, mince finely the cloves of garlic and combine with the seeds of fennel, cumin and black mustard, and the chilly peppers flakes, and 1 clove.
  3. Now, chop at medium size the onions , and peel and grate the fresh ginger. Finally, mix all the powered spices.

GHEE OR OIL?

  1. If you are not following a special diet, I strongly suggest to use ghee to cook, its makes the red lentils dal flavor unique and tasty!
  2. Otherwise, peanuts or sunflowers oil are a good to prepare this recipe.
  3. Olive oil instead has a taste too strong and far from Indian style.

RED LENTILS DAL

  1. Pour 4 tbsp of ghee or vegetable oil into a bottom-thickened heavy pot, and place over medium heat.
  2. When the ghee is totally melted and hot, pour the garlic and seeds mixture, and stir-fry for 30-60 seconds.
  3. Keep an eye on the garlic pieces: they have to become golden but not burned.
    When the garlic is ready, pour the onions and stir well. Cook stirring occasionally until the onion are smooth and translucent.
  4. Meanwhile, the onions and seeds are cooking, wash and rise the lentils. When the onions are ready, pour the lentils into the pot, and stir fry for a couple of minute.
  5. Now, add 5 cups of hot water, the mixture of powered spices, the fresh ginger, and the tomato puree.
  6. Stir well, and set the heat to cook gently simmering. Cook 25-30 minute adding more water only if the dal is becoming too thick.
  7. When the lentils are starting to be mushy, they are ready.
  8. Finally ad salt as needed, cook another 2-3 minutes, and add fresh cilantro before serving.

SERVING AND CONSERVATION

  1. Serve the red lentils dal with steamed white rice, naan, chapati bread, and all the Indian dish you prefer.
  2. It is possible conserve the red lentils dal filed into a box and stored in fridge up to 3 days.

Nutrition Information

Yield

8

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 118Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 16mgSodium 140mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 3gSugar 1gProtein 3g

The writers and publishers of this blog are not nutritionists or registered dietitians. All information presented and written within our blog are intended for informational purposes only. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other health-care professional. The writers and publishers of this blog are not responsible for adverse reactions, effects, or consequences resulting from the use of any recipes or suggestions herein or hereafter. Under no circumstances will this blog or its owners be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from your reliance on nutritional information given by this site. By using this blog and its content, you agree to these terms.

© Filippo Trapella - philosokitchen.com
Cuisine: Indian / Category: Appetizer

 

Filed Under: Appetizers, Faster Than 45 Mins, Gluten Free, Paleo, Recipes, Sides, Slow Cooked, Vegan, Vegetarian Tagged With: appetizer, Asian, aside, cumin, dahl, dal, dhal, easy, fast, fennel, garam, gluten free, India, Indian, lentils, masala, masoor, mustard, nutmeg, paleo, protein, quick, recipe, red lentils, side, slow, spice, spices, spicy, stew, turmeric, vegan, vegetable, vegetarian

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Comments

  1. Elizabeth says

    05/25/2017 at 2:16 pm

    I found this to be very sour. What did I do wrong?

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      05/25/2017 at 6:32 pm

      Hi Elizabeth,
      I’m sorry about that. Honestly, is very hard to tell without tasting your dish. Perhaps, try to reduce or eliminate the ginger root. Also some canned tomatoes brands can be particularly sour, consider trying another brand. Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
      • Justin says

        08/15/2017 at 6:38 pm

        Could be rancid garlic?

        Reply
        • Filippo Trapella says

          08/24/2017 at 1:26 am

          Hi Justin,
          Sorry, but I never tried it 🙂

          Reply
  2. Kusuma says

    09/15/2017 at 7:29 am

    It is sooo yummy. I loved it. Thanks for such a delicious recipe. I added garam masala powder after dal is cooked. I added a tsp of lemon juice along with coriander in the last.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      09/15/2017 at 7:53 am

      I’m really glad of this 🙂

      Reply
  3. Daniel says

    01/02/2018 at 10:52 pm

    My dal kept burning to the bottom of the pot! Does this happen to you? How can I prevent it?

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      01/03/2018 at 3:57 pm

      Hi Daniel,
      I’m sorry for this! Personally, I make several times this recipe but never happen to burn the dal. Try to modify the intensity of the heat and stir the dal more often. I’m not a fan of the non stick pots if not necessary, but it could be a solution.

      Let me know if you need more help 🙂

      Happy cooking

      Filippo

      Reply
  4. Melody Nydam says

    01/04/2018 at 10:09 am

    I am making this right now, Fillipo, and the fragrance is mouth-watering as it simmers. Thank you so much for authentic Indian cuisine!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      01/04/2018 at 12:23 pm

      Thank you Melody 🙂

      Reply
  5. Sarah says

    01/15/2018 at 6:07 am

    Great recipe! I made this yesterday, and added some chickpeas and baby spinach at the end. It was delicious, and the spice mix was soooo good!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      01/15/2018 at 8:46 am

      Wow, it seems a tasty variation to try 🙂

      Reply
  6. Kristen says

    05/07/2018 at 3:10 pm

    Yum! It reminds me of the dal I ate in Pakistan. I’m using this recipe from now on. Thankyou!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      05/07/2018 at 7:26 pm

      Thank you Kristen, your comment makes me happy 🙂

      Reply
  7. Mary Koehnlechner says

    05/18/2018 at 4:52 am

    Hello. I followed this recipe exactly. At the end of the cooking time the lentils were still hard and bitter. I am wondering about the lentils. Your recipe does not soecify what type of lentil to use. I used premium whole lentils but maybe I needed to use red split lentils. Would this have made a difference? In your illustration used, are you displaying split red lentils? No knowing much about lentils I think it would be good to know. Thsnkyou.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      05/18/2018 at 9:33 am

      In this recipe, I used red lentils, and I wrote this In the title, in the ingredients list, and in the process description. These lentils cook quickly, and at the end, they become creamy and mushy like the tradition wants. If you prefer to use other lentils, the result will be different. Every kind of lentil requires a different cooking method.

      Considering that, don’t you think that a two-star rate is a bit harsh 😉

      Happy cooking

      F.

      Reply
      • Mary Koehnlechner says

        05/18/2018 at 11:05 pm

        Your right, I was a bit harsh and I wish to apologise. I did use red lentils, but whole red lentils. I think your recipe called for red split lentils, so I will make it again using split rather than whole and I’m sure it will work just fine. By the way, my husband really liked it anyway. The flavors were good.

        Reply
        • Filippo Trapella says

          05/19/2018 at 12:48 am

          So it is Mary, it is my fault: I never seen whole red lentils! Tomorrow I will change the recipe description, thanks for noticing 🙂

          By the way, I suppose you need to use split red lentils to obtain the best result. Otherwise, try to soak the whole lentils into water 30 minutes before cooking. Let me know

          Happy cooking

          Filippo

          Reply
  8. Karen Buchmiller says

    07/03/2018 at 4:51 pm

    This was pretty good, considering I forgot I was cooking it for an extra half hour and then added a bit too much salt. I also left out the mustard seeds (I don’t have any) and the tomato puree (my daughter can’t have acidic food right now). It’s nice to have an easy Indian dish that can do without tomatoes. I’ll be making it more in the future.

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      07/03/2018 at 5:05 pm

      Hi Karen I’m glad you liked it and you’ve found your personal way to make this recipe 🙂

      Happy cooking!

      F.

      Reply
  9. Cecile says

    06/27/2019 at 10:07 am

    Hi. Are we suppose to feel the seeds in our mouth or better to blend it in a blender ?

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      06/27/2019 at 3:13 pm

      Hi Cecile,

      The tradition wants the dal not blended. Otherwise, if you prefer a smoother taste, you can mix the lentils with a blender.

      Happy cooking 🙂

      F.

      Reply
  10. Stacy Hamilton says

    04/07/2021 at 7:04 pm

    I have made your recipe so many times and it is always a huge hit with everyone! Not only do my kids ask for this dish by name but it is something that people start to crave when they first taste this dish!

    Reply
    • Filippo Trapella says

      04/07/2021 at 9:20 pm

      Wow Stacy, I’m so happy your kids enjoy my lentils! Thank you for your words.

      Happy cooking 🙂
      F.

      Reply

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