Masoor Dal – Masoor Dal

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 150 g lentils, red
• 1 beefsteak tomato(s)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 tbsp ghee or sunflower oil
• 1 ½ tsp cumin
• 3 cloves garlic, squeezed or finely chopped
• 1 small onion(s), finely diced
• 1 tsp chili powder, maybe a little less
• Salt
• lemon juice
• Coriander leaves

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 5 minutes

red lentils as a main course, side dish to curries or soup

Wash the lentils and soak for about 30 minutes. Drain, place in a pot, and cover with fresh water, covering them by a finger’s width. Roughly dice the tomato and add it to the lentils along with 1 teaspoon of salt and turmeric. Bring everything to a boil and simmer gently for about 20 minutes, adding a little more water if needed. Add the lemon juice and bring back to a boil. In a separate small pan, heat the ghee (or oil), add the cumin seeds, garlic, and diced onion, and fry until lightly browned. Stir in the chili powder and add this mixture to the dhal. Thin with water to the desired consistency (more like a soup or stew) and season with salt and lemon juice if desired. Sprinkle with some coriander leaves. We like this simple dhal as a side dish to curry. Tastes wonderful with basmati rice or naan or chapati and can be easily prepared and heated.