RED LENTIL DAL

Red lentil dal is a comforting, spiced lentil stew made primarily from split red lentils (masoor dal) cooked until soft and often tempered with sautéed onions, garlic, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin, turmeric and chilli, sometimes finished with fresh coriander, ghee or a squeeze of lemon for brightness. Its texture ranges from thick and creamy to soupy depending on the recipe, and it’s a staple protein rich dish across the Indian subcontinent, with roots in South Asian cuisine where “dal” refers broadly to split pulses and the varied preparations that showcase regional spices and cooking styles.

My home cooked version is relatively simple to make, and is perfect for something that tends to not need many ingredients. Plus I love to batch it up for the week to come and freeze leftovers, so I always have an emergency nutrient dense dinner ready to defrost at all times.

RED LENTIL DAL

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RED LENTIL DAL 〰️

Time: 50 minutes

Serves: 3-4

1 brown onion, finely diced

1 red onion, finely diced

1 knob ginger, finely diced

2 tbl sp garam masala

1 tbl sp turmeric

1/2 tbl sp cinnamon

1 cup red lentils (washed)

1 can whole tomato

500ml vegetable stock

Garnish: Greek yogurt, fresh chopped coriander, fresh chopped red chilli & toasted naan bread

Place large heavy pot on medium high heat with a glug of cooking oil or ghee. Add in onions & ginger and sweat them in the oil with some salt. Sweat them down for 5-8 minutes. Add in spices and mix through and cook out for a minute.

Add in lentil and mix through as well for a minute, adding more oil if needed. Crush the whole tomato and add in, before pouring in vegetable stock. Season with salt and bring to simmer.

Allow to simmer for 25-30 minutes, or until lentils are soft to the bite. Season with salt to taste to finish.

Serve hot in bowl, garnish and enjoy with rice or naan bread.