Indian Red Lentil Dal
A warm, flavorful Indian Red Lentil Dal made with red lentils, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and aromatic spices. A simple, comforting vegetarian dish that cooks quickly and pairs beautifully with rice or naan.
4 Servings
Ingredients
- Red Lentils: 1 cup rinsed
- Water: 3 cups
- Tomatoes: 3 plum tomatoes
- Vegetable Oil: 2 teaspoons
- Onion: 1/2 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
- Garlic: 2 medium cloves finely chopped and formed into a paste
- Bengali Five Spice Panch Phoron: 2 teaspoons or substitute with: 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds or sesame seeds1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (optional)
- Bay Leaf: 1
- Turmeric: 1 teaspoon
- Kosher Salt: 1 teaspoon plus more to taste
- Lime Juice: 2 tablespoons from 1 lime
- Cilantro: 8 sprigs de-stemmed and chopped
- Cooked Basmati Rice: Optional for serving
Instructions
Cook the Lentils
- Place the red lentils in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Transfer the rinsed lentils to a medium saucepan and add 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, or until the lentils are soft and beginning to break down.
Blanch and Prepare the Tomatoes
- While the lentils cook, bring a separate small pot of water to a boil. Score the tomatoes with an “X” using a sharp knife and blanch them in the boiling water for 1 minute. Remove the tomatoes and allow them to cool. Peel and discard the skin, remove the tough stem end, and chop or lightly mash the tomatoes. Set aside.
Sauté the Aromatics and Spices
- After the lentils have simmered for at least 5 minutes, begin preparing the aromatics. In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Add the garlic paste and cook for 1 additional minute, stirring continuously to prevent burning. Add the Bengali five spice blend and cook for 2–3 minutes. Stir in the bay leaf and turmeric.
Add the Cooked Lentils
- Add the cooked lentils and their cooking water to the saucepan with the aromatics. Add the salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to allow the flavors to combine.
Finish the Dal
- Stir in the lime juice and the prepared tomatoes. Cook for an additional 3–5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt if necessary. Remove from heat and stir in the chopped cilantro. Garnish with extra cilantro if desired.
Serve
- Serve the dal warm, with basmati rice or naan if preferred.
Notes
This Indian Red Lentil Dal is naturally gluten-free. To ensure complete gluten-free safety, verify that packaged spices, mustard seeds, fenugreek, and rice are certified gluten-free. Serve the dal with gluten-free naan or rice for a fully gluten-free meal.