Best Daal Recipes

EASY MASOOR DAAL

Steps:

• Rinse lentils thoroughly and place in a medium saucepan along with ginger, turmeric, salt and cayenne pepper. Cover with about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that forms on top of the lentils. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and soupy.
• Meanwhile, in a microwave safe dish combine oil, dried onion and cumin seeds. Microwave on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute; be sure to brown, but not burn, onions. Stir into lentil mixture.

CHICKPEA DAAL (INDIAN)

Steps:

• Wash chickpeas in water.
• Put chickpeas in fresh water with salt, two parts water to one part chickpeas.
• Leave overnight to soak.
• Put chickpeas (with water they were soaked in) into a large pot. Top up water to maintain 2 parts water to 1 part chickpea ratio if necessary. Bring water to a boil.
• Cover and turn down to medium (level 5) heat, skim off any white foam.
• Leave to simmer until chickpeas are tender, usually 2 or 3 hours.
• Take off heat.
• In a large pot, sauté onions and garlic on high heat, then turn down to (medium-high) level 8.
• When onions are thoroughly transparent put in ginger.
• Continue to sauté until mixture is sticking to bottom and brown bits are evident.
• Put onion mixture in a food processor and mix (not steadily) until smooth.
• Process tomato, 1/2 tomato portions at a time.
• Put mixture back into large pot.
• Add green onion.
• Heat should be at (medium-high) level 8.
• When mixture starts to bubble add tomato paste.
• Stir for 1 to 2 minutes until butter is released and mixture does not stick to pot.
• Add in potatoes.
• Add in chana masala.
• Reduce heat to level 7.
• Put in chickpeas with a slotted spoon.
• Water is NOT put in, but put aside for later.
• Mix for about 2 minutes Add in red pepper, masala.
• Mix for a further 2 minutes.
• Add water from chickpeas, additional water can be added to give mixture a watery consistency (mixture should not be too thick looking initially, as mixture will reduce, usually you can add in another cup of water).
• Add turmeric.
• Bring mixture to a boiling point on max heat, then reduce heat to level 7. Cover partially and mix infrequently.
• Once potatoes are tender, the daal is done.
• This daal is typically eaten with Indian bread- naan or chapati.
• As with most Indian cooking there is no"true" recipe, the cook decides what the recipe needs (somewhat of a hit and miss strategy, but it works).
• If you are unable to find garam masala the following can be used: 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon cracked dried bay leaves, and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves.

SPICY INDIAN LENTIL STEW (DAAL)

Steps:

• Rinse the yellow lentils, red lentils, and mung beans and put them in a medium saucepan with 5 cups water, salt, turmeric, and 1 teaspoon ghee. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until lentils are easily mashed, about 30 minutes.
• Heat remaining ghee in a frying pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and cook until they sputter. Add onion, chile peppers, and ginger; stir-fry until onions are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add cilantro and cayenne. Transfer mixture to lentils.
• Let mixture simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice.

MASOOR DAAL - INDIAN RED LENTILS

Steps:

• Wash the lentils well, and then put them into a sauce pan. Add 4 - 6 cups of salted water to cover the lentils.
• Bring lentils to a boil then reduce heat, cover and allow to simmer until they are soft. Keep the water level above the lentils.
• While the lentils are simmering, grind the spices together then toast them over low heat in a dry sauté pan until you have released their aromas. Set spices aside.
• Using the same sauté pan, heat ghee or oil over low to medium heat. Add onions and sauté until they are soft. Add garlic, sauté another 3-4 minutes. Do not burn the onions or garlic. Add spice mixture; continue to cook for 2 minutes.
• Once the lentils have become soft, add them and their cooking liquid to the onion and spice mixture (add more water or broth if lentil are too thick). Stir and scrape up any bit from the bottom. Stir in lemon juice, adjust salt and continue to cook for 5 minutes.
• Just before serving add yogurt and heat through. Serve with a wheat flat bread such as roti.

MAKHANI DAAL (BUTTERY LENTILS)

Steps:

• Place black lentils, chickpeas, and red kidney beans in a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let soak, 6 hours to overnight.
• Pour lentil mixture and soaking liquid into a pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and release pressure through natural release method according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, ginger, garlic, and cumin seeds; cook and stir until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook and stir until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in ground coriander, garam masala, red chile powder, turmeric, and salt.
• Fold onion mixture into cooked lentil mixture. Add butter, yogurt, and cilantro leaves; stir to incorporate.

DAAL CURRY

Steps:

• Wash lentils. Bring plenty of water (six cups) with turmeric to a boil in a large saucepan and cook lentils until overdone and mushy, approximately 15 minutes.
• In a different saucepan, heat oil on medium heat. Add mustard seeds and curry leaves until seeds start to pop (no more than 30 seconds). Add tomatoes and fry for about three minutes. Add onions, garlic, methi leaves, curry powder, salt, chili powder and sugar. Add mashed lentils and boil for five minutes. Add one cup of water to dilute to curry consistency.
• Remove from heat and add garam masala. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro before serving. Serve with chapatis, roti or rice.

PALAK DAAL

Steps:

• Cook the dal in the 5 cups of water with turmeric and salt for 30 minutes.
• Add the spinach and cook until the spinach is tender and mixed with the lentils - about 35-50 minutes.
• * In a separate pan heat the oil, add the cumin seeds and as they pop add the onions. Brown the onions.
• * Add the garlic, tomatoes, green chili, coriander, garam masala, red chili powder, stir 2 minutes.
• * Add the daal and spinach and lemon juice, stir and heat through.
• * Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with pita or chapati or basmati rice.

LENTIL DAL (OR DAHL, DAAL, DHAL)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, ginger, garlic, cumin, turmeric, garam masala and red pepper and saute for approx 2 minutes (until onions are soft).
• Add cauliflower and saute 1 minute.
• Stir in broth and lentils, making sure to mix well.
• Bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about 35 minutes or until lentils are tender.
• Stir in lime juice and salt.

PALAK DAAL (SPINACH & LENTILS)

Steps:

• In a large pot over medium-high heat combine the lentils and 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then add the spinach, ginger, turmeric, 3/4 of the green chiles, and all of the tomatoes. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the lentils are extremely soft. You may need to add a bit more water during the cooking process to keep the lentils soupy.
• After an hour and a half, stir in the salt. In a separate pan, heat the butter and cumin and fry until the cumin seeds start to pop. Now add the red chile powder (and asafetida if you're using it) and fry for another 30 seconds. Taste and add more asafetida if you like. Add this butter mixture to the lentils and allow to cook for another five minutes. Taste, and season with more salt if needed. I also enjoyed a touch of lemon juice added at this point. Serve topped with the cilantro and the remaining green chiles.
• Serve with rice.

TOTALLY EASY TOTALLY YUMMY JEERA RICE AND DAAL FRY

Steps:

• Wash toor daal in 4 changes of water, then set to cook. put enough water in the toor daal to be about 1 1/2 inches above the daal. If you don't have a pressure cooker, it should take somewhere around 45 minutes for the daal to become soft.
• Set the rice to cook at the same time. The rice will cook a little faster and it will be perfect timing for you to add the spices to the rice and have it all prepared as the daal is becoming ready to have the spices added to it.
• The ratio of water to rice is two to one. add the salt to the water before cooking as it will be difficult to mix in later. the water should taste nice and salty.
• When the rice is almost done, take half of the ghee or butter in a large sauté pan.
• Add the cumin seeds, cilantro leaves and chopped green chillies.
• Sauté for about 3 minutes on med heat, then add the cooked rice and mix.
• Add the rest of the ghee or butter to the rice and mix until consistent.
• Set aside and cover to keep warm.
• Wash out the sauté pan and begin the spices for the daal by adding the oil, cumin, finely chopped onion and green chillies. Sauté until the onions are transparent.
• Add diced tomatoes and sauté for 2 more minutes.
• Check the daal to make sure it is soft, then mash with a potato masher until you have a porridge-like consistency. If you need to retrieve water from the pan, then do it beforehand. Just remember, you can always put the water back in if there isn't enough, but you can't take it out once the lentils are mashed.
• After the daal is mashed add the sauté mixture.
• Add red chili powder for more heat if necessary.
• Add garam masala, salt and sugar. stir over heat for 2 minute and it is ready.
• Serve over jeera rice with papad and mango pickle.

DAAL PAKODA (FRIED LENTIL BALLS)

Steps:

• Soak lentils for 2 hours in enough water and then grind to a paste.
• Mix in lentils,chopped cilantro ,onions,salt,green chillies,and chaat masala.
• Chaat Masala is a salty and sour mixed spices. This is optional.
• Dissolve chick pea flour in about 1/2 water making a thick paste.
• Mix the chick pea flour in the bowl along with the other ingredients.
• This batter should not be too think but thick enough to roll out small balls.
• If its too thin you can add more chick pea flour.
• Heat cooking oil in a pan and shallow fry or deep fry them until golden brown.
• Serve hot with any ketchup or Indian chutny.

EASY MASOOR DAAL

Steps:

• Rinse lentils thoroughly and place in a medium saucepan along with ginger, turmeric, salt and cayenne pepper. Cover with about 1 inch of water and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that forms on top of the lentils. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and soupy.
• Meanwhile, in a microwave safe dish combine oil, dried onion and cumin seeds. Microwave on high for 45 seconds to 1 minute; be sure to brown, but not burn, onions. Stir into lentil mixture.

BLACK DAAL

Steps:

• Place lentils in a large bowl. Cover with water and let stand overnight.
• Drain lentils and add to a large saucepan along with 3 cups water, 1 sliced onion, chiles, and asafetida; season with salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook until lentils are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add remaining onion and cook, stirring, until soft. Add ginger and garlic; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, coriander, ground cumin, and chili powder. Cook, stirring, until tomatoes are softened and mixture is fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Drain lentils, reserving cooking water. Add lentils to skillet along with enough of the reserved cooking water to make a thick gravy-like consistency. Let simmer about 10 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until well combined; remove from heat.
• In a small saucepan, heat ghee until hot. Carefully add cumin seeds and cook until they stop popping. Carefully pour mixture over lentils (it will sizzle) and mix to combine. Serve immediately with naan.

DAAL - BENGALI LENTIL SOUP

Steps:

• wash and rinse lentils under running water several times, dumping out gritty water after each rinse.
• in medium pot boil lentils in 6 cups water for 20 minutes under medium heat, watch for foam that develops and may overflow out of the pot.
• in frying pan saute onions for 10 minutes or until translucent
• add garlic and spices to frying pan and sautee for 5 minutes more, careful not to burn garlic.
• add salt to lentil pot.
• transfer fried ingredients into lentil pot and let cook together for 5-10 more minutes.
• add fresh chopped cilantro at the end for an extra fresh taste.

KALI DAL (DAHL, DHAL, DAAL)

Steps:

• Put the lentils in a large, heavy-based saucepan, add 2 litres (8 cups) water and bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes - 1 hour (until the lentils feel soft when pressed between the thumb & index finger).
• Drain the lentils, reserving the cooking liquid.
• Blend the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli together in a food processor to form a paste.
• Heat the oil in a frypan and fry the onion mixture over high heat, stirring constantly, until golden brown.
• Add the cumin and coriander, fry for 2 mins, then add the lentils aswell as the salt, chilli powder and garam masala.
• Pour 300ml (1 1/4 cups) of the reserved cooking liquid into the pan, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Just before serving, stir in the cream and simmer for another 2 minutes to heat through.

PALAK DAAL (LENTILS WTIH SPINACH)

Steps:

• Wash the Dal.
• place in a pot over low heat with 1 1/2 cups water.
• add spices and cook uncovered till almost done.
• add the steamed Palak and cook till thick
• Temper with Cumin Seeds, Garlic, and whole red chilies fried in a little oil.

DAAL: INDIAN SPICED LENTILS

Steps:

• In a large pot over low-medium heat, add the ghee to melt. Add the onion and cook, stirring until very soft and translucent and slightly yellow, about 6-8 minutes.
• Add the garlic, ginger and fresh chilli if using (if using dried red chilli flakes, add them later with the spices) and cook for 1 minute, until just fragrant.
• Add the spices; curry, coriander, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and dried red chilli flakes (if using). Stir for about 30 seconds.
• Add the tomato and the lentils, stir for a couple of minutes until nicely coated with everything.
• Add 4 cups water, bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook, partially covered for about 20-30 minutes until lentils are very soft and the stew is thick, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and adding a little extra water if needed. Season to taste. Serve with Naan and mango chutney.

PAKISTANI SHAHI DAAL AND TARKA

Steps:

• Soak tamarind in 1 1/2 cup of warm water.
• Wash Daal and boil it with onion in 2 1/2 cups of water.
• When Daal is tender, add Shahi Daal Spice Mix and blend thoroughly with a wooden spoon or in a blender.
• Add tamarind juice, curry leaves and green chillies and cook.
• When green chillies are tender daal is cooked.
• For TARKA (Sizzle).
• Heat oil/ghee and fry all he tarka ingredients until reddish brown.
• Add to Daal.

DAAL CURRY

Steps:

• On medium-high heat, sauté onions in oil until soft (about 4 minutes).
• Add everything except the lentils and water. Cook out bitterness of dried spices for 1-2 minutes.
• Add lentils and water.
• Simmer on medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Enjoy with rice or on its' own.

OKRA AND LENTIL DAAL

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion with the cumin seeds and cinnamon over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes, until the onion is beginning to brown.
• Add the lentils, coriander, chili powder and turmeric. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the water and then add the tomato and okra.
• Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 25 minutes, until the okra and lentils are tender, stirring occasionally.