prema daal
INGREDIENTS: Red Lentils - 1 cup Turmeric - 1 tsp. Water - 2 ½ cups Olive oil - to drizzle Ghee or butter – 2 tbls. Cumin seeds - 1 ½ tsp. Onions - 1 small or ½ of 1 large chopped Fresh Ginger- about 1 inch , peeled and sliced or grated. Green chilli pepper - to taste Fresh Cilantro - a few leaves - washed and water squeezed out. DIRECTIONS 1.Wash and drain lentils twice - Add 2 ½ cups of water per 1 cup of lentils 2. Add turmeric 3. Drizzle oil on top – do not stir . 4. Cook over low to medium low heat uncovered. Stir occasionally. 5. Add 2 tbls of ghee or butter to a fry pan and add cumin seeds seeds when pan it hot. Stir until sizzled and aromatic. 6. Add fresh ginger, green chilli pepper and stir quickly in frying pan, then add onions and stir until slightly browned. Optional: you may add tomato or red pepper at this stage. 7.Lentils should appear homogenous at this stage. Add 1 ½ tsp. of salt and cilantro , reserving some for garnish. 8. Pour over white rice and garnish with remaining cilantro and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS: Red Lentils - 1 cup Turmeric - 1 tsp. Water - 2 ½ cups Olive oil - to drizzle Ghee or butter – 2 tbls. Cumin seeds - 1 ½ tsp. Onions - 1 small or ½ of 1 large chopped Fresh Ginger- about 1 inch , peeled and sliced or grated. Green chilli pepper - to taste Fresh Cilantro - a few leaves - washed and water squeezed out. DIRECTIONS 1.Wash and drain lentils twice - Add 2 ½ cups of water per 1 cup of lentils 2. Add turmeric 3. Drizzle oil on top – do not stir . 4. Cook over low to medium low heat uncovered. Stir occasionally. 5. Add 2 tbls of ghee or butter to a fry pan and add cumin seeds seeds when pan it hot. Stir until sizzled and aromatic. 6. Add fresh ginger, green chilli pepper and stir quickly in frying pan, then add onions and stir until slightly browned. Optional: you may add tomato or red pepper at this stage. 7.Lentils should appear homogenous at this stage. Add 1 ½ tsp. of salt and cilantro , reserving some for garnish. 8. Pour over white rice and garnish with remaining cilantro and enjoy!
CourseMain Course
Servings4 cups
Calories306kcal
Cost$3
Equipment
- RICE POT
- DAHL POT
- FRYING PAN
Ingredients
Dal
- 1 cup red lentils masoor dal or other yellow lentils
- 1 onion yellow, medium, finely chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely sliced
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- 4 cups water
- Salt to taste
Restaurant Style Tadka (tempering)
- 2.5 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 dried red chilies
- 8 - 10 curry leaves
- 1.5 inch ginger finely grated
- 4 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 shallot medium, finely chopped (or small onion)
- 1 tomato small, finely chopped
- 1 green chili optional, remove seeds for less heat
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chili powder* Kashmiri chili powder is less pungent
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi dry fenugreek leaves
Home Style Tadka
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds optional
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 5 dried red chilies
- 8 - 10 curry leaves
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon ghee optional
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils well until the water is clear and drain in colander.Tip: If using other yellow lentils instead of red lentils, then soaking in water for about an hour will help.
- In a medium cooking pot take the drained red lentils, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced garlic, turmeric, water and bring it to a boil.
- Lower the heat and cook it for about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste and continue to cook until most lentils start breaking down, become a bit mushy and turn into a thick sauce like consistency.
- Cook the dal until it reaches a consistency that is thinner than what is desired, because it will thicken further after cooking.
Restaurant Style Tadka
- Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Place your palm three inches above the oil and when it is hot enough, add cumin seeds.
- When the seeds start to splutter, add dried red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté a little bit and then add the chopped ginger and garlic.
- Sauté few minutes and then add chopped shallots and cook until translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes and cook until softened.
- Next add green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and kasuri methi. Stir and turn off the heat. Don’t let the spices burn.
- Then add most of the tempered spice oil, and half the chopped cilantro into the cooked dal, stir and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the dal into a serving dish. Add the remaining tempering, cilantro and ghee on the top. Serve with steamed rice.
Home Style
- Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Place your palm three inches above the oil and when it is hot enough, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- When the seeds start to splutter, add the sliced garlic and sauté a little bit. Then add the dried red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté everything until garlic turns a light tan color and curry leaves are cooked.
- Turn off the heat and add most of the tempered spice oil, and half the chopped cilantro into the cooked dal, stir and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the dal into a serving dish. Add the remaining tempering, cilantro and ghee on the top. Serve with steamed rice.
Notes
- Ghee is available at most supermarkets. Or you can make it at home. Check out the notes section of chickpea cookies recipe.
- Remove the seeds from green chilies to lower the heat.
- Curry leaves are available at Indian grocery stores.
- You may substitute chana dal, toor dal, moong dal or a combination and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- If using other yellow lentils (and not red lentils) then soaking in water for about an hour will be good.
https://www.thedeliciouscrescent.com/dal-recipe/
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