food : masoor dal
I have been making this for years now. It is a pretty basic dal with a mild flavor. I use red lentils as the dal for this. I sometimes see larger and smaller red lentils at various stores, the smaller ones work better but both are fine.
Ingredients
| Amount | Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cup | Red lentils, rinsed until water runs clear |
| 1 | inch | Ginger, peeled and minced |
| 0.25 | tsp | Turmeric powder |
| 1 | tsp | Salt |
| 0.5 | tsp | Cayenne pepper (or to taste) |
| 0.25 | tsp | Hing/asofoetida (optional, but recommended) |
| 0.25 | tsp | Garam masala (optional) |
| 4 | tsp | Oil (any neutraloil is fine) |
| 1 | tsp | Cumin seeds |
| 3 | Garlic cloves, peeled and minced | |
| 0.5 | Cup | Onion, small dice |
| ~ | Chopped cilantro, to taste (optional) |
Instructions
- In a pot add lentils, ginger, salt, turmeric, cayenne, and hing
- Add water until water line is 1" above lentils and bring to a boil, skimming off any foam that develops
- Once boil is achieved, reduce to simmer and stir every once in awhile
- In skillet/pan add oil and onion and saute over med heat
- Once onions are starting to brown, add garlic and cumin seeds; cook another 45 seconds, stirring
- Add everything from pan to pot of lentils, stir
- Let simmer until flavors are mixed well. Take your time and taste it every so often to get to the right flavor/consistency.
- [Optional] Blend a cup or two worth of the dal and mix it back into the pot to create a creamy consistency. This could also be done with an immersion blender. The key is to not blend all of it, just a little bit to adjust the consistency. Stir and let simmer a little while longer to let the newly blended bits settle in.
- If using garam masala, add it now and cook a minute or two more
- Serve hot and garnish with cilantro if desired