Simple Savory Lentils Dal Recipes

DAL RECIPE (INDIAN RED LENTIL CURRY)

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils well until the water is clear and drain in colander. Tip: If using other yellow lentils instead of red lentils, then soaking in water for about an hour will help.
• In a medium cooking pot take the drained red lentils, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced garlic, turmeric, water and bring it to a boil.
• Lower the heat and cook it for about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste and continue to cook until most lentils start breaking down, become a bit mushy and turn into a thick sauce like consistency.
• Cook the dal until it reaches a consistency that is thinner than what is desired, because it will thicken further after cooking.

10-MINUTE SAVORY LENTILS

Steps:

• Chop the carrots, onion, and parsley until they are finely diced.*
• Put all ingredients in your Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker (or pot on stove)
• Pressure cook for 10 minutes (for stove top: bring to a boil then simmer for 10 minutes until liquid is absorbed)
• Adjust seasoning if needed, and serve!

DAL (INDIAN LENTIL CURRY)

Steps:

• Soak Lentils: Rinse lentils and leave to soak in plenty of water for 1 hour. Drain in colander.
• Heat ghee/oil in a heavy based saucepan over high heat. Add green chillies and fry for a minute until starting to blister.
• Add onions and fry until softened.
• Lower heat to medium, add garlic, ginger and curry leaves. Cook for 1 minute until garlic starts to turn golden and smells amazing.
• Add tomatoes and cumin, cook until tomatoes start to break down and thicken to a paste - about 2 minutes.
• Add lentils, water, tumeric and salt. Stir, bring to simmer, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour. Stir two or three times during the hour.
• Remove lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes to thicken, stirring every now and then. The dal is ready when it has a consistency like porridge - some lentils should be intact but some have broken down to thicken the sauce.
• Stir through garam masala at the end. Adjust salt if desired.
• Pour over Tadka, if using, and stir through.
• Serve Dal over rice, garnished with a sprig of coriander if desired.

EASY LENTIL CURRY RECIPE (WITH CANNED LENTILS)

Steps:

• Peel and chop red onion, garlic and ginger.
• Add oil to a pan over medium heat and add the chopped onion to it. Saute onion until it begins to slightly caramelize (about 15 minutes or so), stir often so onion doesn't burn.
• Add in garlic and ginger and saute a couple more minutes.
• Then add in the pumpkin puree, coconut milk, water, coriander, smoked paprika, and turmeric and stir well.
• When all ingredients are well incorporated, add in the spinach and stir well.
• Then add in the lentils and stir well - letting curry cook about a minute or two more.
• Remove from the stove and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• When serving, garnish with chopped cilantro and enjoy with Sri Lankan roti, naan, turmeric quinoa, or rice pilaf.

SAVORY LENTILS

Steps:

• 1. Saute onion and garlic in butter until tender. Bring stock to boil in medium sauce pan. Add lentils, salt, pepper, savory, celery,carrot, tomatoes, and sauted onion and garlic.
• 2. Simmer over low to medium heat 45 minutes or until lentils are tender and thick.

DAL MAKHANI (BUTTER LENTILS)

Steps:

• Soak lentils in a saucepan of water for 1 hour. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Heat cinnamon, chile powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, cloves, allspice, and bay leaves in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Stir olive oil into the skillet. Add tomatoes, ginger paste, and garlic; simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar and salt. Cook until mixture thickens into a pulpy sauce, about 5 minutes. Add lentils and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir cream and butter into sauce. Cook until sauce thickens and lentils are very soft, about 30 minutes. Squeeze some lime juice over each serving.

GARLICKY DAL (SAVORY LENTILS)

Steps:

• Pick over dry dal for grit; rinse a couple of times and drain.
• Bring to boil about 3 cups water in a 2-quart saucepan.
• Add dal to hot water.
• Stir in salt and turmeric powder.
• (Water can boil over when dal is added; lower the heat as needed.) Partially cover and simmer on medium heat until dal is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
• (Add hot water depending on the consistency desired.) Note: Split dal can be cooked in a slow cooker[2 to 3 hours] or in a pressure cooker for about 10 minutes.
• To sauté, heat the oil in a small skillet on medium heat.
• Add cumin seeds; as soon as they change color (few seconds), add garlic and onions.
• Stir, sprinkling little water if needed, until onions are golden brown.
• Add ginger and remaining seasonings (except tomatoes and garam masala); stir for a couple of minutes.
• Add tomatoes and cook for another minute.
• 5.
• Mix the sautéed seasonings into the cooked dal and continue cooking on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes until dal is thickened.
• Add garam masala.
• 6.
• Serve hot, garnished with green coriander.
• Optionally sprinkle lemon juice.
• Variation 1: Use brown lentils, peeled yellow Mung, peeled light yellow Urad, or split dark yellow Toor (or a mix of them).
• They take about 3 cups of water to 1 cup of dry dal and only 30 to 40 minutes to cook.
• Variation 2: Use whole green Mung, whole black Urad, whole dark brown Masoor, whole yellow brownish Toor, or split yellow Chana (or a mix of them).
• They take 3 to 4 cups of water to 1 cup of dry dal and longer to cook (about 1 hour).
• (Takes 4 to 5 hours in slow cooker, 25 minutes in pressure cooker.) Healthy Alternative: Add some vegetable stock or 3 tablespoons of Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) when dal is half cooked.

SIMPLE SAVORY LENTILS (DAL)

Steps:

• Soak lentils in water to cover for several hours or overnight. Drain.
• Bring lentils & 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan & stir in salt & turmeric.
• Cover & simmer about 45 minutes or until lentils are tender (but not mushy.).
• Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat & cook onion, cumin & cardamon, stirring, about 3 minutes.
• Add garlic & cook, stirring, another minute.
• Stir onion mixture into lentils.
• Cook uncovered over low heat 30 minutes, stirring frequently.