Red lentil dhaal
Satbir Thandi
The smooth taste of the lentils blended with the spicy mix with a firm garlic background does the trick for me every time.
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 40 minutes mins
Course Main
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 255 kcal
deep pan
Long handle wooden spoon
Cooking the lentils
- 1 litre Water
- 200 g Red lentils
Paste
- 1/2 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 25 grams Butter Or ghee.
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 25 g Ginger Grated
- 4 cloves Garlic Grated or Finely chopped.
- 2 Onion Medium size, Finely chopped.
- 1 Fresh chilli Finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp Gharam masala
Optional
- 4 sprigs Fresh Coriander
- 1 Tomato Large, chopped (optional)
Set the lentils to boil
Rinse the lentils in warm water, pick out and discard any debris and bad lentils. Drain and repeat two more times and drain again.
Add the water and the lentils to a large pan.
Add the salt and turmeric
When the lentils start to boil then turn the heat down to a simmer.
Simmer until soft (approx. 40 minutes).
Make the spicy paste
Add butter to a frying pan, turn heat to a simmer and wait for the butter to melt.
Add the cumin seeds, cook for a minute or two until you start to hear them crackle.
Add the garlic, and cook just for a short while until you see their colour begin to change.
Add the onions, stir regularly preventing the onions from sticking. When they have softened and just starting to brown, add the Chilli.
Once the onions have browned, add the ginger, followed by the chopped tomatoes. Fry the ginger for about two minutes careful it does not stick.
Add the gharam masala, cook and stir for just another minute.
Mix the paste into the lentils
When the lentils have softened, pour the spicy paste into the pan with the lentils.
Prepare the coriander by breaking away the leaves from the stalks, chop them.
Stir the coriander into the dhal shortly before you are ready to serve.
After a couple more minutes, the dhal is ready to serve, pour into bowls and garnish with chopped coriander.
Keyword dhaal, easy, red lentils