Masoor Dal Recipes

EASY MASOOR DAL

Steps:

• Pick and rinse the pink lentils (dhuli masoor dal) well.
• Pressure cook the pink lentils in a 2-litre pressure cooker with 1.5 to 1.75 cups water, till they become soft and mushy. Pressure cook for 5 to 6 whistles on medium flame.
• When the lentils are cooked, beat with a wooden spoon or wired whisk lightly.
• Keep the cooked pink lentils aside. If lentils are not cooked, then add some more water and pressure cook for a few whistles more.
• In another pan or pot, heat oil. Fry the cumin seeds till golden.
• Then add onions and fry till they are light golden.
• Add chopped ginger and garlic. Stir and fry for 10 to 15 seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
• Add green chilies and red chilies. Stir.
• Add all the dry spice powders one by one including asafoetida (hing) and stir.
• Add the tomatoes and fry till the oil separates and the tomatoes become soft.
• Add the cooked pink lentils. Pour 1 to 1.5 cups water. You can adjust the quantity of water as required.
• Add salt and stir. Simmer for 6 to 7 minutes more on a low or medium flame till you get the desired consistency.
• This dal is neither thick nor thin and has a medium consistency.
• Lastly add kasuri methi and simmer for 1 minute.
• Towards the end add lemon juice and 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves and stir. Switch off the flame.
• You can also garnish the dal with coriander leaves if you want while serving. Serve this masoor dal hot with steamed basmati rice or roti or chappati.

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.

MASOOR DAL (SPICED RED LENTILS)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil, and sauté onion until softened. Add sweet potato, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add minced ginger and garlic; stir, and reduce heat to low.
• Finely dice chili, keeping seeds if you wish to add more heat. Add chili, lentils, coriander, cumin, turmeric and ground ginger to pan. Stir until lentils are well coated with oil. Add tomatoes and 4 cups water. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat until mixture is at a fast simmer. Cook uncovered until lentils and potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt, and continue to simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk dal to amalgamate lentils and sweet potatoes. If dal is too soupy, increase heat and cook for a little longer.
• To serve, place dal in a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. If desired, shave thin strips of fresh coconut on top. Serve hot.

MASOOR DAL WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, tomatoes and a big pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and tomato soften and the excess liquid evaporates, 7 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and curry powder and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 minutes.
• Add the lentils and stir to coat with the tomato mixture. Add 3 1/2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the lentils are tender and have lost their shape, 12 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; if the mixture gets too thick, add 1/4 cup of water at a time to loosen.
• Divide the lentils among bowls. Top with the yogurt, cilantro and chiles. Serve with the naan.

SABUT MASOOR DAL (SPICED BROWN LENTILS)

Steps:

• In a large (about 6-quart) pot, add 7 cups of water, the whole masoor dal and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover and cook on as high heat as possible until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
• In the meantime, prepare the masala: In a medium-sized (8-inch) frying pan, heat ghee over medium heat for 30 to 45 seconds or until melted. Add onion, ginger and garlic, and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, chile powder, turmeric and coriander. Mix well. Stir in tomatoes, add salt and Thai green chiles. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes break down and the oil separates (it will form an outline around the jammy tomato), about 10 minutes.
• Remove 1 cup water from the pot of dal with a ladle (remove more if you want the dal to be thicker, or less or none of you prefer it thinner). Stir the masala from the frying pan into the pot of dal. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, or for 10 minutes for more tender dal. Turn off the stove, and stir in lemon juice. Sprinkle with garam masala and cilantro. Serve with rice, roti or by itself.

MASOOR DAL

Steps:

• Boil water.
• Add lentils. When it comes back to a boil, cook for five minutes uncovered, then turn the heat down and cover, cook for 15 minutes.
• Add salt, ginger, chile, coriander, cumin and tumeric. Cook for ten more minutes until lentils are very soft.
• Turn heat down to low.
• In a small pan, heat oil until very hot. Add mustard seeds. When they have finished popping, add chili pieces and then asafoetida. Pour hot oil into lentil pot and cover quickly.
• Turn off heat and let sit for five minutes. Add lemon or lime juice, adjust seasonings. Serve with cilantro.