Dal recipes

https://nationalpost.com/life/food/cook-this-masoor-dal-red-lentils-from-asmas-indian-kitchen


https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-26/best-indian-dal-recipe-for-home-asma-khan


https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/recipes/asma-khan-darjeeling-express-carrot-halwa-masoor-dal-cooking-instructions-a8606171.html

Ingredients  for the dal:

225 grams (8 ounces) of mung dal lentils

2 tbsp ghee or oil

1 tsp chili powder

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp ground turmeric

 100g fresh spinach leaves (or kale)

For the tempering:

2 tbsp ghee or oil

2 dried red chilis

½ tsp black mustard seeds

1 small onion sliced into half moons

Cooking:

1.  Wash the lentils in cold running water, then place in a bowl and soak for a minimum of four hours in fresh cold water. Drain before cooking.
2. Place the lentils in a heavy-based pan that has a lid. Add cold water to about 5 centimeters (2 inches) above the lentils. Add the chili powder, garlic, onion, turmeric and boil over a medium–high heat. When the dal starts to boil, lower the heat. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for 30-35 minutes.
3. Check periodically, removing any foam from the top. The way to check that the dal is cooked (apart from eating it!) is to put the dal on a flat surface and “break” it with the back of a wooden spoon. If it breaks easily, it is ready. Do not mash the dal. You want it to be like thick textured soup.
4. Add the spinach once you feel the dal is cooked. (Just leave it in for a minute or two to wilt.) Taste and adjust the seasoning before you move to the final tempering stage. You can make this in advance and chill it for later. When ready to eat, reheat the dal in a pan. 
5. In a small frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tbsp of ghee or oil over a high heat. Add the mustard seeds followed quickly by the dried red chilis and finally the sliced onions. You need to keep stirring to ensure the onions are cooked evenly. When the onions look caramelized (a dark orangish brown) pour the tempering oil, onions and spices over the warm dal in the pan. Next, take a spoonful of the dal and place it in the frying pan to absorb any remaining oil. Take care as the oil may splutter. This step ensures that all the flavored oil is used and not wasted. 

MASOOR DAL

Red lentils

2 1/2 cups (500 g/1 lb 2 oz) masoor dal (red lentils)
2 tbsp ghee or oil
3-4 dried red chilies
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric

For the tempering:
2 tbsp ghee or oil
2 dried red chilies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 garlic clove, cut into slivers
4 fresh curry leaves

Step 1

Wash the lentils in cold running water, then place in a bowl and soak for 30 minutes in fresh cold water. (If you do not have time to soak the lentils, then just wash them before adding to the pan — red lentils cook quickly and so do not need long soaking.)

Step 2

In a heavy-based pan that has a lid, heat the ghee or oil over medium-­high heat. Add the dried red chilies to the pan, followed by the chopped onion and garlic. Cook, stirring, until they just start to colour.

Step 3

Add the soaked lentils to the pan, then the salt and ground turmeric. Add 5 cups (1.2 L) warm water to the lentils and bring to a boil. When the surface of the water is bubbling, cover the pan, lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to ensure the dal is not sticking to the base of the pan. Once the dal is cooked, place it in a bowl and keep warm while you prepare the tempering.

Step 4

For the tempering, heat the ghee or oil in a small frying pan over high heat. Working very quickly so the tempering does not burn, add the dried red chilies, cumin seeds, garlic slivers and, finally, the curry leaves. Cook for a few seconds, then pour the tempering oil and spices over the warm dal in the pan. Next, take a spoonful of the dal and place it in the frying pan to absorb any remaining oil — take care while doing this since the oil may splutter — then tip the spoonful of dal from the frying pan back into the main dal pan.

Step 5

Serve immediately, ladling the dal into separate serving bowls.

Serves: 2

Note: This recipe makes a generous amount for two people with leftovers that can reheated in a pan the next day: A smaller quantity of lentils would end up sticking to the base of the pan.

Recipe from Asma’s Indian Kitchen, by Asma Khan, published by Interlink Books, recipe copyright © Asma Khan, 2019. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.