Indian Lentil Stew Recipes

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.

INDIAN-INSPIRED LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Combine broth and lentils in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.
• Stir in stewed tomatoes, sweet potato, onion, garlic, and bay leaves. Return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in curry powder, cumin seeds, and salt. Simmer until lentils are soft, about 15 minutes.
• Taste to adjust spices. Stir in cream and serve.

INDIAN SUMMER STEW: BUTTERNUT SQUASH, COCONUT, AND LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Rinse the pigeon peas in a couple changes of water.
• In a large soup pot, combine the squash, drained pigeon peas, tomato, coconut, turmeric, cumin, and enough stock to cover. Bring to a boil, and then simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Remove the cover and simmer another 10 minutes.
• To temper: In a small skillet, warm the canola oil until shimmering. Add the mustard seeds and when they stop popping, add the red pepper flakes, garlic, and salt. Swirl the skillet so the contents cook evenly, and cook another 10 seconds. Then pour the contents of the skillet into the soup, along with the salt. Spoon a ladleful of soup back into the skillet (it will sizzle, be careful!), and pour back into the soup pot. Finish with the honey, lime juice, and cilantro. Adjust the seasonings, to taste, and enjoy a little Indian summer in the middle of your winter!

SOUTH INDIAN SPICY LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• In a large saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the dahl, tomatoes, okra, carrots, potatoes, tumeric, salt and tamarind paste or lemon juice. Stir and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook until the dahl is tender--approximately 30 minutes; add more water if necessary.
• Meanwhile, in a heavy skillet, heat the oil and lightly fry the ground cilantro and cumin over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, chile and curry leaves and fry for 2 minutes, covering the skillet as the seeds pop. Add the fried spices to the cooked dahl and vegetables. Add the sambhar masala and mix well.
• The stew can be prepared up to 2 hours in advance.

INDIAN LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Soak lentils in water to cover for 1 hour. Wrap cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods in a small square of cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with string.
• Heat oil in a 4-qt. heavy pot over moderate heat until hot, but not smoking. Add onions and cheesecloth bundle and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chile, garlic, garam masala, cumin, coriander, and turmeric, bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down, about 10 minutes.
• Drain lentils in a sieve and add to onion mixture. Stir in water, bring to a simmer, and simmer, uncovered, adding more water if necessary to keep ingredients just covered with liquid, until lentils are very soft, about 40 minutes. Discard cheesecloth bundle and stir in salt. Arrange zucchini in an even layer on top of stew. Cook, covered, until zucchini is tender, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle stew with cilantro and serve over rice.

PARIPPU - SOUTH INDIAN LENTIL STEW

Steps:

• Wash lentils.
• If using coconut & water, place these in a blender & puree to create coconut milk. (It will not be as creamy as real milk, but that is just fine.).
• Put lentils in pan with 2 cups water, the 1st onion, tomatoes, coconut milk, green chilis,tumeric, ground cumin,corriander, asafoetida, and salt.
• Bring to a boil.
• Lower heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 1/2 hour until lentils are very mushy and have lost their shape. Add water if necessary to keep it a thick soup consistancy.
• After 15-20 minutes, add the greens.
• Heat the oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds.
• When they pop, add cumin seeds.
• When the cumin is brown, add remaining onion and curry leaves. Cook until onion is golden brown.
• Add onion mix to the lentils and cook for 5 minutes to meld the flavors.