Basic Recipe for Indian Dal (with Red Lentils)

Put the dal in a fine sieve and wash under cold running water. Stir in the sieve with your fingers. (The older the dal, the more foam ... it will probably not wash away completely.) For one part dal there is 3-4 parts water. (Depending on the type of dal / lentil, the amount required may vary ... if necessary, simply add another part of water later)

Put dal and water in a saucepan and add about 1 / 3-1 / 4 teaspoons of turmeric ... the water should get a yellowish color. In the meantime, wash the tomatoes, chop them roughly and add half of them to the dal. Cook the dal over a closed saucepan on low-medium heat. As soon as the dal can be easily crushed on the edge of the pot with a spoon, it is ready.

Prepare the onion mix parallel to the dal: Roughly dice the onion and place in a heated pan with 0.5 tbsp ghee for frying and fry over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves, garam masala and the chilli pepper. The onions should make a well-roasted impression or look slightly brown ... if necessary, turn up the heat. As soon as the onion mix has the desired color, add the other part of the tomatoes and fry briefly.

Add the onion mix to the dal in the saucepan, stir in and season with salt. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of ghee over the dal, let it steep for a moment and stir before serving. Enjoy your meal! Chapati also tasted good.

The exact amount of dal was not given, as the amount in grams varies depending on the type of legume selected. However, you can orientate yourself on the amount of rice to be cooked for 2 people ... Dal is much more saturated, which is why I would use approx. Depending on your preference, the dal can be served with a moist or relatively dry consistency, adjust the amount of water or simply cook it without a lid at the end. Instead of ghee for frying, oil (not olive oil) can also be used ... the variant with ghee is definitely worthwhile for guests! If you crush the dried chilli pepper, it becomes crisp and hot and I always have to "extinguish" it with yogurt or refine the dish on my plate. However, if you leave the dried chilli pepper whole, you get a pleasant spiciness. If you have the opportunity to use fresh curry leaves and a fresh green chilli pepper, then you should do so. It is also particularly tasty if you sprinkle fresh, chopped coriander over the dal.