Daal
This daal comes together quickly and is a great meal prep recipe! Packed with protein it can be a great option for Meatless Monday!
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 2 cup red lentils washed and drained
- 3 cups water an inch above the lentils
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- For the Bagaar Tempered Oil
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 2 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin
- 3-4 whole red chilies dried
- 10 curry leaves
Instructions
- Wash the lentils thoroughly till the water runs clear, drain any excess water and add to a medium sized pot.
- Add fresh water, put on medium high heat and add salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder.
- Stir to incorporate the spices, and bring the lentils to a boil, uncovered.
- Once they come to a boil, remove any white scum that rises to the top and lower the heat to a medium low.
- Cover the pot and let cook for 30 minutes.
- When ready the daal will have softened and can easily be mashed with the back of a spoon. Alternatively you can use an immersion blender to achieve a smoother consistency.
- At this point you can add more water to get your desired consistency or dry out some water to make the daal thicker. Taste the daal and adjust the salt.
- Then let the daal simmer uncovered while you prepare the tarka (tempering).
- In a small pan add oil and let it heat up. Once the oil starts to shimmer, add the whole cumin, dried red chilies and curry leaves.
- Stir till nicely coated and saute about 30 seconds, now add the sliced garlic and saute another 30-60 seconds till the garlic gets to a golden brown color.
- Pour the whole concoction into the pot of cooked lentils and cover. Turn off the heat.
- Let the daal get infused with the oil about 2-3 minutes.
- Once ready to eat, give the daal a good stir to combine everything and optionally garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.
- Enjoy with white or brown rice and a side salad of cucumbers, onions and tomatoes.
Notes
Notes:
- Any leftovers can be reheated and served the next day, in fact this versatile dish keeps for up to a week. I have often treated it like soup. Just add some water to thin it out a little when reheating.