Everyday dal
A weeknight dal that hides in plain sight on the meal rotation. One pot, no soaking, ready in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 200 g red lentils, rinsed
- 800 ml water
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp ghee or neutral oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp brown mustard seeds
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 fresh green chilli, slit
- 1 ripe tomato, chopped
- Fresh cilantro and lime, to finish
Method
- Bring lentils, water, turmeric, and salt to a simmer. Cook uncovered 25–30 min until lentils break down into a porridge.
- In a separate pan, heat the ghee. Add cumin and mustard seeds; let them pop.
- Add onion; cook 5 min until soft and translucent.
- Add garlic, ginger, chilli, and tomato; cook another 3–5 min until the tomato collapses.
- Stir the tempering into the cooked lentils.
- Finish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve with rice or roti.
Red lentils don’t need soaking — that’s the magic. The tempering at the end is what makes it taste like dal and not lentil soup.