Red Lentil Dhal
Masoor di Dhal
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Heat
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Serves
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Dietary Info
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Prep 10 mins
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Cook 20 mins
A beautiful lentil dhal flavoured with a spicy tomato masala.
Hari says
This is my chicken soup when I'm feeling under the weather, my staple when I don't know what else to cook, my cuddle blanket when I'm feeling sorry for myself and my tonic when I've indulged a little too much the night before. It's a poor man's main dish and a king's side dish – it's the simple, humble masoor di dhal.
It forms a huge part of so many Indians' diets because it's cheap and is a great source of protein for the vast number of vegetarians. As children we didn't know the names of all the different lentils so we would call this yellow dhal (even though it's made with red lentils) and that's what my children call it too.
Cooked with whole cumin seeds in a tomato based masala finished with crispy onions and fresh coriander.To get the main ingredients for my dhal recipe,check out my dhal recipe kit here.
- Ingredients
- Method
Lentils
- 200g red lentils, washed
- 900ml water (approx.)
- 1 tsp of salt
Masala
- 1 tbsp ghee or rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp of cumin seeds
- 1 dried red chilli
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ginger, grated
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fenugreek leaves
- 1 tsp of garam masala
Garnish
- Handful of coriander, chopped
Method
- Place lentils in a pan with the salt, cover with the water and bring to the boil.
- Remove the froth, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. Check the lentils are cooked by squeezing them between your fingers. Once soft remove from the heat.
- In a frying pan heat the oil or ghee. Add the dried chilli, bay leaf and the cumin seeds.
- When the seeds sizzle, add the onion and garlic and fry until lightly browned. Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, fenugreek and the chopped chilli. Gently let the ingredients cook down for about 10 minutes to make a thick masala paste.
- Add a ladle full of the lentils (dhal) to the masala paste in the frying pan and stir together, then empty all the contents back into the pan with the lentils and stir. It should have the consistency of a thick soup but if it's too thick just add a little boiling water and remove from the heat. If you prefer it thicker just leave it on the heat to reduce until you get the consistency you want.
- Check the seasoning and add a little salt if required. Stir in the garam masala and coriander to serve.
Served with
I always serve this as a side at all my Indian dinner parties, because it's quick and easy, looks incredibly vibrant and tastes wonderful. It goes well with many main dishes but my personal favourite is as a side with chicken biryani. I also like to serve this as flavoursome soup for a quick lunch with some roti or crusty buttered bread to dip.
Nutritional information
| Typical values* | per Serving |
|---|---|
| Calories | 78 |
| Fat (g) | 3.3 |
| of which saturates (g) | 1.9 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 9.4 |
| of which sugars (g) | 2.3 |
| Fibre (g) | 1.3 |
| Protein (g) | 3.7 |
| Salt (mg) | 1.3 |
This goes well with
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Comments
Comments (52)
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Hari Ghotra
Hi Charlotte Yes it can - Dhal is easy to just reheat when you want it. You may need to add a little water if it gets too thick though. Enjoy Hari
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Anthony Berube
Hi Hari. I did this recipe just as you explained and it was fantastic. I want to make it again but I only have the green lentils. Can I use the green in place of the red. I understand that the green lentils do not disintegrate even with extended cooking. Can I mash the lentils with a potato masher, or my Kitchenaid hand blender to puree after cooking to get the same texture as the red lentils. Thank you for answering my questions.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Anthony You can use green lentils with this recipe I think soak them for an hour or so and cook them for a while longer. They will soften but will have a different texture because they different. I would blitz them - I think they will be delicious in there own way. Hope that help Hari
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Lisje
Hi Hari, excellent dinner! My kids even loved it! Thank you again-
Hari Ghotra
Fantastic! Thrilled you all loved it.
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Leanne
My husband and I made this the other night.....DELICIOUS!!! We didn't have enough lentils so we also used split peas. It was still amazing! The best dahl I've ever tasted...don't tell my Mom.-
Hari Ghotra
Fantastic Leanne So happy you enjoyed it and your secret is safe with me!
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Helen Shepherd
So delicious. I could eat the lot in one sitting!!
However, trying to work out calories per portion so how many would this typically serve?
Thanks-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Helen 2 people as a main or 4 as a side. Thanks for trying Hari
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Aleerak
I've just made this - it was easy, tastes delicious and you can tell why it's a comfort food! I used Fenugreek seeds, added at the same time as the cumin seeds, as the leaves are not easy to come by in Australia. Also, my coriander leaves were not the best so I finely chopped up the stalks which still gave me that coriander taste. Loved it! I just wish I could save it on Pinterest. I've tried several times, but no luck...-
Hari Ghotra
Hey - good to know that you have tried and loved this one. I always use the stalks of my coriander in different ways so well done for not wasting them. If you have a picture please post it on my app I would love to see it! Thanks for trying the recipe. Hari
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diana Kalisz
I live in Toronto Canada and can't find fenugreek of any kind in any store can I use fresh parsely leaves instead of the dried fenugreek leaves. And how much? thx so much.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Diana I would just miss it out for now and see how you go. We are still delivering so you can order from here too. Let me know how you get on.
Thanks Hari
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Millie
I love your recipes and website so much, thank you! This is one of my favourite dishes as I always seem to have the ingredients to hand and it's so tasty. It's also great to see so many wonderful vegan recipes.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Millie Glad you are a fan - I love this dhal too so fresh and delicious. I'm so happy to hear that you are finding delicious vegan recipes. There is a lot of Indian food that is suitable for the vegan diet. My curry kits are perfect too because you just add your own protein source here is the link if you haven't seen them yet https://shopify.harighotra.co.uk/collections/curry-kits. Do let me know if you try any other dishes and I would love to know what you think. Thanks Hari
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Ash Sodha
Hi, this looks great - do i need to soak the lentils first? I havent got a pressure cooker!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Ash No red lentils dont need to be soaked they cook very quickly. Just wash them to rid the excess starch. Let me know how you get on. Thanks Hari
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Khachö
This was wonderful. Such a lovely, earthy taste. Thank you.-
Hari Ghotra
Glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much for your comments Hari
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Heather
This is my favourite dhal recipe, and it's so easy to make!
Tonight I realised I didn't have any fresh tomatoes, so I used half a can of chopped tomatoes instead. It turned out just as delicious as when I use fresh.
Thanks so much for sharing this wonderful recipe!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Heather - It's such a winner. Yes you can use tinned toms as well, I just like fresh toms in dhal but use what you have. Thanks so much for your comments Hari
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Issy
I have just made this. It was my first dahl and I have to say it was lovely, I doubled up the amounts so I had plenty left over to freeze. I added chicken to it and we had it with poppadoms. Very easy recipe to follow and wonderful flavours. Thank you so much. X-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Issy Lovely to hear that you enjoyed cooking this dish. Its so great to have in the freezer for a midweek dinner. Thanks for using the website do let me know what else you try. Thanks Hari
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Deb
I have just made this - what can I say, it was absolutely amazing. The only substitution I made was that I used a teaspoon of mustard seeds and a teaspoon of medium curry powder as I did not have fenugreek. I made a batch for make-ahead, cheap and nutritious lunches to take to work. Not sure there'll be much left after today it is so tasty.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Deb I love hearing from you guys especially when you have just cooked a dish from the website. I love dhal and this is my quick easy go to one. Simple, healthy and delicious and I am so glad you have enjoyed it. Thanks so much for using the site - do keep in touch and let me know what else you try. Thanks Hari
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Liz
I tried this dhal, first time ever I have cooked dhal, and it's super delicious!! will make it more often now! I love your website!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Liz thanks so much for trying this recipe - so glad to hear that you enjoyed it. It's really great to know that you are loving the website too. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Let me know if you try anything else. Thanks Hari
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Gareth Foreman
Hi Hari
have literally just finished making this for the first time. Not only does it taste fantastic but my flat smells wonderful as well which is a great added bonus!
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank's Hari.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Garath That's so lovely to hear and makes me really happy - glad you enjoyed it and do let me know what else you tried. Thanks Hari
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Samantha
Hi. I've never cooked a Dahl before and i know it's stupid but what do I serve it with, rice, breads etc? Apologies for my ignorance.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Samantha Thanks for your question. Dhal is fantastic with rice and naan bread but sometimes I love it with some bread and butter too so it's totally up to you. Serve it with whatever you like! Let me know how you get on. Thanks Hari
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daniel n
what a great dish. very much recommended. i have tried quite a few dhal recipes, and non came as good, or even to be as good. thank you@-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Daniel thats amazing - I love this dhal and i'm glad to hear that you are a fan now too. Thanks so much for leaving a comment Hari
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Greg
What a wonderful dish! I have been making it regularly for the past couple of months and I just love it. This is definitely one of the quicker and easier recipes for good dal that I have found. It goes great as a side with other dishes, but I eat it just as much as a meal in itself. It is really satisfying, and I can see why this is your comfort food.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Greg That is so wonderful to hear - glad you are loving this as much as I do!
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Sarah
We have a 2 year old son who is currently going through a stage of being very picky over what he eats, every mealtime is a struggle. He enjoys pasta dishes, and mild curries - so we thought we would try him on some of your recipes. All we can say is thank you, Hari, he has, to date, with a tiny bit of tinkering with spices etc, enjoyed just about everyone of your recipes.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Sarah
That's amazing - thank you so much for letting me know. It makes me really happy to hear comments like this where the recipes have really helped. I hope your little boy continues to enjoy the dishes. Thanks so much for using the site too. Hari
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Alan
I love this lentil dhal recipe and the fenugreek really added a lot of depth of flavour. For anyone struggling to find it, I got a large box of dried fenugreek leaves from the international foods aisle in Tesco for only 70p. It might not be in all Tescos but worth a look. This recipe goes great with naan bread, just throw one in the oven while your lentils are going. Yum!-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Alan Thanks so much for your comments, totally agree you do need a little dried fenugreek (the herb which we call kasoori methi not the spice) to get the dhal just right. I love to hear what you think of the dishes so thanks for sharing. Let me know which other recipes you try. Chat soon Hari
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danielle
Thank you for this recipe. I've been trying to find a vegan dish perfect for chilly days and this was perfect.-
Hari Ghotra
Hi Danielle so happy that you enjoyed it - this is my go to comfort dish! let me know if you try anything else. Thanks for lraving a comment Hari
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Hari Ghotra
Hi Karen Yes you certainly can use tinned ones (although these lentils cook really quickly anyway) 200g tin of the lentils will be fine for this. Thanks Hari -
Karen
I know it is a cheat but can you use tinned lentils (I have some to use up!). If so, what quantity works in this recipe? -
Nigel
Hello Hari,
I cooked this last night - delicious. Thank you for another excellent recipe. -
Aaron
Hi Hari,
I made this Dhal the other night along with another round of your Vegetable Pakora's. I was able to find Fenugreek leaves (I bought a big bag of them so I'll have plenty for quite some time) and that definitely makes a difference. They have that same earthiness without the bitter bite of the seeds. Love the recipes and can't wait to try more and more!! -
Hari
Hi Kat
You can find fenugreek in 4 forms. The dried seeds or the crushed powder - this is very strong in flavour and only used in specific dishes. The fresh leaf or the dried leaf - which have a earthy, milder, slightly bitter flavour. For this dish you need the dried fenugreek leaf. This is found in all Indian grocery shops and it's called Kasoori Methi. If you can't find it let me know I will pop some in the post to you. Thanks Hari -
Kat
Where can I find Fenugreek? Or is there a more common substitute ingredient that I could find more easily.
Thank you -
Hari
Hi Daisy It's wonderful to hear that yo are enjoying my recipes in San Francisco (one of my favourite places in the world). It's just a short vid for this recipe that all. Hope you have been cooking along. -
Daisy
Just wondered why there is only a little more than 4 min of you tube footage for this video.
By the way, truly enjoy your you tube channel.
Thanks and love from San Francisco, usa -
Hari
Definitely! I love to have this when I'm feeling a bit cold and miserable its a real treat and easy to make too. So glad you are enjoying this recipe. -
Kevin Lewis
Winter is coming and one pot meals are a must when I want something quick. While this uses two pans it comes together as a one pot meal. I find it better second day when the flavours seem to have matured. Afraid to say I have also added chickpeas to this when feeling really hungry and wanting a little something more than just dhal.
Charlotte
I'm having a indian dinner night tomorrow and want to prepare some things in advance. Can this dahl be cooked a day in advance?
Thanks a lot for your answer.
Greetings from Switzerland.
Charlotte
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