Skip to main content
Brian Sunter

Red Lentils with Cumin Seeds

Masoor dal — salmon-coloured split peas that turn dull yellow when cooked, tempered with cumin seeds and spices. Best served with rice and almost any Indian meat or vegetable dish.

50 min 4 servings
dal lentils indian vegetarian masoor
Scale
Units

Ingredients

  • 200 gram red split lentils
  • 1 litre water
  • 2 thin slices fresh ginger
  • 0.50 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp ghee
  • — ground asafoetida
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp ground coriander seeds
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 tbsp fresh green coriander

Equipment

  • pot
  • frying pan

Instructions

Cook the Lentils

1

Combine the 200 gram red split lentils (masoor dal), picked over, washed and drained, and 1 litre water in a heavy pot . Bring to a simmer. Remove any scum that collects at the top. Add the 2 thin slices fresh ginger (unpeeled) and 0.50 tsp ground turmeric . Stir to mix. Cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 45-60 minutes or until the lentils are tender. Stir every 5 minutes during the last half hour to prevent sticking. Add the 1 tsp salt (or to taste) and stir to mix. Remove the ginger slices.

Temper the Spices

2

Heat the 3 tbsp ghee (or vegetable oil) in a small frying pan over a medium flame. When hot, put in a pinch of ground asafoetida . A second later, put in the 1 tsp cumin seeds . Let the seeds sizzle for a few seconds. Now put in the 1 tsp ground coriander seeds and 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper . Stir once and then quickly pour the contents of the pan, ghee and spices, into the pot with the lentils. Stir to mix.

Serve

3

Sprinkle the 2 tbsp fresh green coriander (finely chopped) over the top when you serve.

View Cooklang Source
recipe.cook 
---
title: Red Lentils with Cumin Seeds
description: "Masoor dal — salmon-coloured split peas that turn dull yellow when cooked, tempered with cumin seeds and spices. Best served with rice and almost any Indian meat or vegetable dish."
servings: 4
time: 60 minutes
tags: [dal, lentils, indian, vegetarian, masoor]
cuisine: Indian
difficulty: easy
---

== Cook the Lentils ==

Combine the @red split lentils{200%gram} (masoor dal), picked over, washed and drained, and @water{1%litre} in a heavy #pot{}. Bring to a simmer. Remove any scum that collects at the top. Add the @fresh ginger{2%thin slices} (unpeeled) and @ground turmeric{0.5%tsp}. Stir to mix. Cover, leaving the lid very slightly ajar, reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for ~{45-60%minutes} or until the lentils are tender. Stir every ~{5%minutes} during the last half hour to prevent sticking. Add the @salt{1%tsp} (or to taste) and stir to mix. Remove the ginger slices.

== Temper the Spices ==

Heat the @ghee{3%tbsp} (or vegetable oil) in a small #frying pan{} over a medium flame. When hot, put in a pinch of @ground asafoetida{}. A second later, put in the @cumin seeds{1%tsp}. Let the seeds sizzle for a few seconds. Now put in the @ground coriander seeds{1%tsp} and @cayenne pepper{0.25%tsp}. Stir once and then quickly pour the contents of the pan, ghee and spices, into the pot with the lentils. Stir to mix.

== Serve ==

Sprinkle the @fresh green coriander{2%tbsp} (finely chopped) over the top when you serve.