Masoor Dal Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) red lentils (masoor), rinsed
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 green chilli, slit
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee (for the tarka)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1–2 dried red chillies
• Fresh coriander
• A squeeze of lemon

Method

1. 1Put the lentils, turmeric, tomato, green chilli and 900 ml water in a pan. Bring to the boil and skim off any foam.
2. 2Simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils have broken down. Whisk to make it smooth and add water if it is thicker than you like. Season with salt.
3. 3For the tarka, heat the oil in a small pan, add the cumin seeds and, once they sizzle, the garlic. Fry until the garlic is light golden, then add the dried chillies for a few seconds.
4. 4Pour the tarka over the dal, finish with coriander and lemon, and serve.

Masoor dal recipe: nutrition per serving

One of 4 servings. Estimated from the ingredient weights above and per-100 g values in USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy); brands and cooking change the real numbers.

Tips

• Pull the garlic off the heat the moment it turns golden; burnt garlic makes the whole dal bitter.
• Dal thickens as it stands. Leave it a little looser than you want to serve it.

Swaps and variations

• Vegan and gluten-free with oil rather than ghee.
• Use moong dal (split yellow mung beans) for a lighter, sweeter dal; it cooks in the same time.

Storage

Keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well. Add water when reheating and make a fresh tarka if it has lost its aroma.