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Recipe by Gil Marks

Dal (Indian Curried Lentils)

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Dal (Indian Curried Lentils)
Dairy Dairy
Medium Medium
8 Servings
Allergens

Contains

- Dairy
9 Hours, 30 Minutes
Diets
- Vegetarian - Gluten Free - Low Fat - Pescatarian

Dal, the Indian word for lentils, refers to a dish of cooked lentils, split peas, or beans.  Serve very thin dal as a soup, medium-thin dal with vegetables as a dip, and thick dal as a side dish.  In India, dal is a common accompaniment to curry dishes.

Ingredients

Lentils

  • 2 cups (about 1 pound) dried brown lentils, such as Gefen

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 2 medium onions, chopped

  • 3–4 whole cloves

  • 1 (2-inch) stick Gefen Cinnamon

  • 2 bay leaves

  • salt, to taste

  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

  • 1/2 cup sour cream or yogurt, for garnish (optional)

Spice Mixture I

  • 1 teaspoon garam masala

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon Pereg Paprika

  • 1 teaspoon turmeric

  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Spice Mixture II

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin, such as Pereg, or coriander or 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

  • 3/4 teaspoon turmeric

Spice Mixture III

  • 2 tablespoons curry powder

Directions

Prepare the Dal

1.

Wash the lentils well, cover with water, and soak overnight. Drain and rinse well. (Soaking helps the lentils to hold their shape.)

2.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until soft and translucent (five to 10 minutes). Stir in your choice of spice mixtures and sauté for three to five minutes.

3.

Stir in the lentils. Add four cups water (add a little more water to make a soup), cloves, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until very tender (about one hour). Discard the cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves.

4.

Add salt to taste. If desired, stir in the cilantro. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Notes:

If serving as a side dish, serve alongside rice and raita (yogurt salad). If serving as a soup, top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt.   Variations: Ginger Dal: Sauté 2 minced cloves garlic and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger in 1 tablespoon hot oil until fragrant. Stir into the cooked lentils.   Yellow Split Pea Dal (Arhar Dal): Use 2 cups (about 1 pound) dried yellow split peas and 6 cups boiling water. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until soft (2 to 2 and 1/2 hours).   Dal with Lemon: Add 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice to the cooked lentil mixture.

Recipe tags

curry gluten free Indian cuisine indian flavors Indian food Kosher Indian food lentils spice blend spices
Dal (Indian Curried Lentils)

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