Best Lentil Dal Recipes

INDIAN LENTIL SOUP (DAL SHORVA)

Steps:

• Rinse the beans or lentils.
• Bring to a boil with the stock, turmeric, Cayenne, cumin, cardamom and curry/bay leaves.
• Let simmer until the beans or lentils are very soft (ca 30 minutes).
• If using bay leaves, remove them now. Curry leaves can be left in the soup.
• Run the soup quickly in a blender to a not too smooth consistency (or mash the lentils/beans with a ladle).
• Sautee the garlic and mustard seeds lightly in the fat and add to the soup.
• Let simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Add salt, pepper and squeezed lemon to taste.
• Serve hot with pita or paratha bread.

RED LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup onion and 1 minced garlic clove and sauté until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside. Combine 3 cups water, lentils, remaining 1 cup onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, turmeric, cumin and ginger in heavy medium saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer half of lentil mixture to processor; purée until smooth. Return purée to same saucepan. Mix in sautéed onion mixture. Simmer 5 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spoon rice into bowls. Spoon dal over. Top with tomatoes, cilantro and chili.

SPINACH AND TOMATO DAL (INDIAN LENTIL SOUP)

Steps:

• Bring lentils and 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in salt. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a simmer 10 minutes. Skim off any scum that forms and continue to simmer until the lentils are tender, about 1 hour.
• Heat the oil in a separate saucepan. Cook mustard seeds and cumin seeds in hot oil until they start to splatter, 2 to 3 minutes. Add onion, garlic, and turmeric to the seeds; cook and stir until the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Stir spinach, tomato, and cayenne pepper into the onion mixture; cook until the spinach wilts and the tomato is tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir the cooked lentils and cilantro into the spinach mixture; bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Adjust salt and water to taste and texture preferences.

CURRIED CHICKPEA AND LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Mustard Seed and Turmeric Oil:
• Cook oil and mustard seeds in a small saucepan over medium-low, swirling often, until mustard seeds start to pop. Remove from heat and stir in turmeric and cayenne. Season with salt; let cool.
• Cilantro-Raisin Chutney:
• Mix shallot, raisins, cilantro stems, lime juice, and oil in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stew and assembly:
• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium. Cook onions and garlic, cut side down, and ginger, stirring onions and ginger occasionally, until onions are translucent and garlic is golden brown, 5-7 minutes. Add curry powder and cayenne and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and 5 cups water, stirring to release any bits stuck on bottom of pot; season with several pinches of salt. Bring to a simmer; cover with a lid, leaving slightly askew so steam can escape. Cook, adjusting heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and skimming foam from surface as needed, until chickpeas have swelled about 50 percent in size but are still crunchy, 25-30 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and lentils to pot; season with more salt. Return to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until chickpeas are tender and lentils have broken down to form a thick broth, 30-35 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Ladle dal into bowls and serve with toasted Mustard Seed and Turmeric Oil, Cilantro-Raisin Chutney, coconut, chiles, and/or cilantro as desired.
• Do Ahead
• Oil can be made 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature. Chutney can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Dal can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add onion, ginger, cumin, turmeric, red peppers, and garlic.
• Saute 2 minutes.
• Add cauliflower and tomatoes; saute 1 minute.
• Stir in water and lentils; bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until lentils are tender.
• Stir in lime juice, cilantro, and salt.
• Serve 1 cup lentil mixture with 1 cup rice.

EASY LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Combine water, lentils, onion, and olive oil in a rice cooker. Seal and select setting according to manufacturer's instructions; cook until tender, about 30 minutes.
• Pour chickpeas, tomato paste, yogurt, curry paste, turmeric, cumin, and chile powder into the lentil mixture. Mix thoroughly. Cook until softened and flavors meld, about 15 minutes.

YELLOW LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• In a saucepan add lentils and chicken stock, ginger and turmeric.
• Bring to boil cover partially and cook for 20 minutes on medium heat until lentils are tender.
• Puree 1 c of lentils in a blender, add back to pan and cook 15 minutes more.
• In a skillet heat oil.
• Add mustard seed and shake pan until they start to pop, 20 seconds.
• Add the onion and cook until softened, 5- minutes.
• Add serrano chile, and garlic, cook 1 minute.
• Add cumin and bay leaves, and tomato, cook minutes more.
• Stir this mixture into the lentils, add lemon juice and salt to taste, simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve over basmati rice.

SIMPLE LENTIL DAL (DAHL)

Steps:

• Heat the oil with the cinnamon stick in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring, until the cinnamon unfurls, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Add the cumin, cloves and cardamom and cook, stirring, until the cumin turns a golden brown color, about 1 more minute. Add the lentils, turmeric, water and salt. Bring to a boil and skim well. Turn down the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, 20-30 minutes. Add more water during cooking if necessary. Taste for salt and add more if you need to.
• Ladle about 1/2 cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon (optional). Return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir. Continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to thicken. If you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree. If you like a thinner dal, add water. Remove the cinnamon stick (and cardamom pods, if you like).
• For the tempering oil, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it just begins to brown around the edges, 4-5 minutes. Add the garlic paste, ginger and minced chile and cook just to mellow the raw taste of the garlic, 10-15 *seconds*.
• Stir half of the tempering oil into the dal along with half of the cilantro and all of the lemon or lime juice. Simmer very gently for 5 minutes. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, pour the remaining tempering oil over the top and sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. Serve hot with additional lemon or lime juice to taste.

SPICED RED LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Put oil in a skillet over medium-high heat; when it is hot, add onion and cook until soft, about 10 minutes; set aside.
• Meanwhile, combine the lentils, ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cloves, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a saucepan. Add water to cover by about 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Adjust heat so mixture bubbles gently, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding water if necessary, until lentils are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Sprinkle with salt and more pepper and keep cooking to desired tenderness. Lentils should be saucy but not soupy.
• Remove cloves from pan and add reserved sauteed onion. Stir in butter if you are using it. Taste and adjust seasoning, then garnish with cilantro and serve.

INDIAN LENTIL DAL SOUP

Steps:

• The night before you want to make your dal, boil the lentils in water for 5 minutes and then discard the water. Soak the lentils overnight if you are using dried. Change the water once while soaking. When you are ready to use the lentils, discard the soak water. If you are using a pressure cooker to reconstitute the lentils, you can put them in the pressure cooker now. Otherwise, you can hang onto them and add them to the soup later. Chop the onion, carrots, and celery and add it to a saucepan over medium heat. Cover the saucepan and begin mincing the garlic. Then add the garlic to the saucepan. Occasionally, stir the veggies to distribute the heat and keep them from sticking to the pot. Once the onions are translucent, add the broth, water, beans, and spices. Cover the pot and simmer. If your beans are already cooked, you shouldn't have to cook the soup for long. If the lentils are soaked but uncooked, simmer the soup until the lentils are soft enough to eat. Last, add the soy sauce. Tips If you do not have lentils handy, you can use mung beans instead. You can add ginger or jalepenos to this soup if you wish. You can also add cilantro as a delicious garnish.

GREEN LENTIL DAL (HARA MASOOR KI DAL)

Steps:

• Put the lentils in a bowl and add cold water to cover. Let stand two hours.
• Heat three tablespoons of the oil in a saucepan or kettle and add the onions. Cook briefly, stirring, until the onions are wilted and add the cloves and cinnamon. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are browned. Do not burn.
• Drain the lentils and add them, stirring. Add the broth, salt, ground pepper, cayenne, lemon juice, water and lemon rind. Bring to the boil and partly cover. Cook 30 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
• Heat the remaining two tablespoons of oil in a small skillet and add the caraway seeds. Cook about two minutes or until the seeds start to brown and give off a pleasant caraway smell. Pour this over the lentils and stir.

SLOW COOKER RED LENTIL DAL RECIPE

Steps:

• Place red lentils and yellow split peas into a large bowl and cover with water. Let soak for a few minutes and swish to wash the lentils and split peas. Drain well and rinse. Place in a slow cooker and add the 6 cups water. Add the diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cardamom pods, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add all of the seeds to the pan. Shake the pan while on the heat, or use a wooden spoon to stir, while toasting the seeds. When they smell fragrant, remove from heat and transfer to the slow cooker. (It will probably bubble up a bit as the hot seed hit the liquid.) Stir well to combine all ingredients. Place lid on slow cooker and let cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Remove lid after cooking time and stir. Taste and if lentils are not soft, cook for another 30-60 minutes, if needed. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. To serve - Ladle the daal over brown rice and top with a squeeze of fresh lemon, cilantro, and more seeds, if desired.

RED LENTIL DAL WITH YOGURT RAITA

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pan over high heat and add mustard seeds; fry until they begin to pop, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium and add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in lentils, coriander, salt, turmeric, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon, and cloves. Pour in water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer until lentils are soft, 15 to 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, mix yogurt, cucumber, mint, and garam masala together for the raita.
• Add lime juice and cilantro to the lentils. Serve with the raita.

DAHI DAL (YOGURT LENTIL CURRY WITH SPINACH)

Steps:

• Put the moong dal in a pan with the measured boiling water, salt, turmeric and ginger. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes. Add the spinach, cover again and cook for another 5 minutes until the lentils are soft and the spinach has wilted.
• Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a frying pan, add the onions and cook over a low to medium heat for 10 minutes until golden, then stir in the chile powder. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Once the lentils are ready, blitz to a purée with a hand blender or in a blender or food processor. Return to the pan, if necessary, and bring to the boil. Then take off the heat, add the yogurt and mix well. Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, top with the fried onions and serve.

WARM RED-LENTIL DAL WITH PITA CHIPS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine lentils, broth, water, and turmeric. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan; add garlic, cumin seeds, and crushed red pepper. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
• Remove the lentils from heat, and stir in the garlic mixture, diced tomato, mint, and salt. Serve warm.

MASALA PAPPU (INDIAN RED LENTIL DAL)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Cook and stir cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds in the hot oil for 15 seconds. Stir in garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add onion and cook until light brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garam masala, curry powder, turmeric, and salt.
• Pour water and lentils into the pan and cover with a lid. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until lentils are tender and liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Season with curry leaves and pepper; remove from heat.

LENTIL POTATO DAL

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
• Add onion, saute until translucent.
• Add garlic and ginger, saute a 1-2 minutes.
• Add salt, tumeric, coriander, cumin, mustard powder, Cayanne Pepper and cook for 1-3 minutes until fragrant.
• Add water, scraping to loosen browned bits from the bottom.
• Stir in tomato, potato, and lentils.
• Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer until potato mixture is tender (About 30 minutes).
• Remove from heat and stir in Parsley & Red Wine Vinegar.
• Serve over rice or with Naan.

SPICY RED LENTIL DAL WITH PITA WEDGES

Steps:

• Combine broth and lentils in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, partially cover, and simmer 10 minutes or until lentils are tender. Remove from heat; cover and set aside.
• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, mustard seeds, and red pepper, and cook 5 minutes or until onions are tender and seeds begin to pop, stirring constantly.
• Add cumin, turmeric, coriander, and black pepper; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Add tomato paste, and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add lentils, coconut milk, and salt; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in juice.
• Cool to room temperature. Serve dal with pita wedges.

HYDERABADI KHATTI DAL (MANGO LENTIL CURRY FROM THE INDIAN STATE,

Steps:

• Put the first three ingredients in a pressure cooker.
• Pressure cook for upto 2-3 whistles.
• Remove from flame and let out the steam.
• Mix the cooked lentils with water using a wooden spoon.
• Boil the mixture for 5 minutes.
• Heat oil in a pan.
• Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds.
• Allow to splutter.
• Once they stop spluttering, add curry leaves.
• Stir-fry until fragrant.
• Add garlic and stir-fry until the raw smell is gone.
• Mix in the red chilli and turmeric powders and the corriander leaves.
• Fry till it turns slightly brown.
• Pour over the boiled lentils.
• Serve hot over cooked white rice.
• Enjoy a hearty lunch!

SLOW COOKER LENTIL DAL

Steps:

• Place red lentils and yellow split peas into a large bowl and cover with water. Let soak for a few minutes and swish to wash the lentils and split peas. Drain well and rinse. Place in a slow cooker and add the 6 cups water. Add the diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cardamom pods, bay leaf, salt and black pepper. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add all of the seeds to the pan. Shake the pan while on the heat, or use a wooden spoon to stir, while toasting the seeds. When they smell fragrant, remove from heat and transfer to the slow cooker. (It will probably bubble up a bit as the hot seed hit the liquid.) Stir well to combine all ingredients. Place lid on slow cooker and let cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 8-10 hours. Remove lid after cooking time and stir. Taste and if lentils are not soft, cook for another 30-60 minutes, if needed. Add more salt and pepper, if needed. To serve - Ladle the daal over brown rice and top with a squeeze of fresh lemon, cilantro, and more seeds, if desired.