Description
This hearty dish of curried green lentils with mushrooms and red bell pepper is a flavorful and comforting meal, perfect for serving over rice or enjoyed on its own.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 cup large green lentils or whole masoor dal (can use a combination of both)
- 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon oil or ghee
- 3 cups water for dal; 6 cups water for soup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
- Salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Wash lentils with water, drain and set aside. Get 3 cups of water or 6 cups of water ready on the side.
- In a pot under medium heat, put 1 teaspoon of oil. When heated, put in the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cardamom pods, cloves and just coat with oil. Immediately throw in the lentils and mix up well. Add the water and mix again. There may be some scum or foam, which you should skim off the top and throw. Once the foam stops, add in the ginger, turmeric, chilies and salt to taste. Bring the pot to a boil and then to a simmer. The lentils should cook in about 30 minutes. While cooking, you can choose to add more water, depending on what consistency you are going for. Turn off the heat. (At this point, I taste the lentils to see if it’s hot enough for my taste. If not, I usually add a little red chili powder in the next step of cooking.)
- In a separate sauce pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil at medium heat. Add in the chopped onions and cook until translucent. Mix in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add in the tomatoes and give a good stir. Mix in the cumin powder and garam masala (can add some chili powder at this point if you want some more heat) and cook mixture until tomatoes start to break down. Add in the red bell pepper and mushroom with some salt to taste and cook for about 5 minutes or until soft. Turn off heat and pour contents over the lentils.
- Turn the heat on under the lentils to medium. Add a teaspoon of the sugar and make sure the ingredients are mixed all together. Heat lentils for a few minutes, adding more water to get to the consistency you want. Turn off the heat and add a few squeezes of lemon and mix in fresh chopped cilantro to your liking.
- For serving, ladle into bowls for soup and spoon over rice for dal. Garnish with some cilantro, raw onion slices and a dollop of yogurt.
Notes
For a richer flavor, use ghee instead of oil. Adjust the level of spiciness by varying the amount of red chili powder. This dish can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 5 grams
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 8 grams
- Carbohydrates: 35 grams
- Fiber: 10 grams
- Protein: 12 grams
- Cholesterol: 0 mg