Masoor Dal Recipe
Masoor dal is a red lentil dish prepared in Indian style with basic spices and seasoning.
Masoor dal is a red lentil dish prepared in Indian style with basic spices and seasoning.
- 1 cup water
- salt as needed
- â¼ to â½ tsp red chili powder
- â½ cup masoor dal or red lentils
- 2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
- 1 green chili (optional)
- 1 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 red chili broken
- 2 cloves chopped
- â¼ tsp mustard (optional)
- â½ tsp jeera or cumin
- generous pinch of hing or asafoetida
- a large pinch of garam masala
- â¼ tsp kasuri methi ((dried fenugreek leaves))
- Carbohydrate 0.84 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.005 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0.125 g
- Saturated Fat 0.00085 g
- Serving Size 1 1 to 3 (124g)
- Sodium 82.856000004007 mg
- Sugar 0.84 g
- Trans Fat 0.0015 g
- Calories 4 calories
Step-by-step
- Add dal to a pot or pressure cooker. Wash it a few times.
- Next add chopped tomatoes, water and green chili.
- Pressure cook for 1 whistle on a medium heat. If cooking in a pot, cook on a medium heat until soft.
- Once the pressure goes down, open the cooker.
- Mash the dal to suit your liking. You can make it smooth or keep it grainy. If needed you can pour 2 to 3 tbsp water to bring it to a consistency.
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a small pan.
- Add mustard, cumin, red chilies and garlic.
- Saute until the garlic turns slightly golden.
- Turn off the heat and add hing, chili powder and turmeric. You can also add in garam masala if using.
- Quickly pour this off to the dal.
- Time to add salt and kasuri methi if using.
- Mix and simmer for 2 mins.
- Masoor dal is ready to serve with roti or rice.
Overcooking split red lentils until they dissolve into a uniform, gluey paste is the single most frequent error made when preparing masoor dal. Because these small legumes lack the tough seed coat of whole pulses, they break down rapidly under heat, requiring precise attention during the boiling phase to retain a pleasant texture. Controlling moisture ratios prevents the dish from turning into solid porridge while ensuring the lentils soften completely.
The traditional tempering technique, known as tadka, requires precise temperature control in the small pan. Fat heated with whole spices must be monitored closely so that garlic cloves turn precisely golden rather than dark brown, which introduces bitterness into the delicate legume base. Adding powdered spices like asafoetida and red chili powder off the heat protects them from scorching in the residual warmth of the ghee. Crushing dried fenugreek leaves between the palms just before stirring them into the simmering pot releases trapped aromatic oils.
Mashing the cooked lentils provides control over the final mouthfeel, allowing individual preferences for either a smooth consistency or a more rustic, grainy profile. Pairing this legume preparation with steamed basmati rice or flatbread creates a complete amino acid profile by combining pulses with grains.
Controlling the Tempering Stage
The traditional tempering technique, known as tadka, requires precise temperature control in the small pan. Fat heated with whole spices must be monitored closely so that garlic cloves turn precisely golden rather than dark brown, which introduces bitterness into the delicate legume base. Adding powdered spices like asafoetida and red chili powder off the heat protects them from scorching in the residual warmth of the ghee. Crushing dried fenugreek leaves between the palms just before stirring them into the simmering pot releases trapped aromatic oils.
Texture and Pairing Principles
Mashing the cooked lentils provides control over the final mouthfeel, allowing individual preferences for either a smooth consistency or a more rustic, grainy profile. Pairing this legume preparation with steamed basmati rice or flatbread creates a complete amino acid profile by combining pulses with grains.
