Sookhi Masoor Dal

DALS… Can’t have enough of them! Must-Try recipes from Across India

India is one of the few countries that is blessed with variety in almost every aspect, food being the most obvious one. The unquestionable love and celebration of good food has been bringing people together for many years, and when we think of good food, one of our most loved preparations comes to mind – the quintessential Dal.

From Dal Makhani to Panchratna Dal, it is the undying love for this flavoursome and versatile staple that most Indian households include in our daily diet. And each region in the country has its own favourite way of preparing them.

Sookhi Masoor Dal

Dry Red Lentil Dal

This is another popular north Indian dal. To make this dry preparation it is cooked in an onion tomato masala in well-chosen spices and is not only tasty but also brims with protein, iron and folic acid. It goes well with any Indian bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Split red lentils (Masoor dal)
• 2 tbsp Oil/ Ghee
• 3-4 Cloves
• 4-5 Black peppercorns
• ½ tsp Asafoetida
• 3 medium Onions finely chopped
• 1 inch Ginger cut into juliennes + for garnishing
• 2 Green chillies slit
• 2 small Tomatoes chopped
• 1 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Lemon juice
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Instructions:

• Rinse the dal and soak in cold water for an hour or in hot water for 30mins.
• Heat oil/ghee in a pan, add cloves, peppercorn, asafoetida and saute. Add onions and saute till golden brown. Add ginger and green chillies.
• Add red chilli and turmeric powder. Add tomatoes and garam masala and cook for 2 mins.
• Drain the dal and add to the tempering. Add salt and mix well. Add water as required, and cover and cook till dal is soft.
• Add lemon juice and garnish with ginger juliennes.