Raised in Western Europe, widely traveled, and currently residing near…
Masoor Dal makes for a satisfying meal with some freshly baked Indian naan bread (recipe to be posted soon) and/or a fresh salad.
By Kimberly Killebrew
Red lentils are pretty easy to find and can be purchased in virtually any large grocery or health food store.
PrintMasoor Dal – Indian Red Lentil Soup
Masoor Dal makes for a satisfying meal with some freshly baked Indian naan bread (recipe to be posted soon) and/or a fresh salad.
- Author: Kimberly Killebrew
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Side
Ingredients
- 1½ cups red lentils, thoroughly rinsed
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tomatoes, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1–2 green chilies, chopped (use more or less and discard seeds according to heat preference)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
- ½ cup onion, finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon asaefoetida (aka hing)
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- Pinch of Kashmiri chile powder (or cayenne pepper)
- Small pinch of cinnamon
- Small pinch of cloves
- Juice of one lime
- Fresh chopped cilantro for serving
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- For the Dal: Place the rinsed lentils, vegetable stock, tomatoes, and salt in a stock pot.
- For the Chaunk: Heat the oil in a small skillet over high heat and add the mustard and cumin seeds. Fry until the mustard seeds begin to pop, about 10 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the chilies, garlic and ginger. Fry for another 20 seconds. Add the onion and fry until soft and a light caramelized brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the turmeric, chile powder, asaefoetida, coriander, turmeric, chile powder, cinnamon and cloves and stir to combine.
- Combine the Dal and Chaunk: Scrape the contents of the skillet into the stock pot. Stir to combine and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the lentils are done the soup is a thick consistency, stirring occasionally.
- Before serving, add the lime juice, a little at a time, according to taste. Add more salt as needed. Serve sprinkled with fresh chopped cilantro.
- Serve with some fresh naan bread.
Raised in Western Europe, widely traveled, and currently residing near Seattle with her husband and children, Kimberly loves preparing and experimenting with a large range of flavors and cuisines. This is reflected in her food blog, The Daring Gourmet, where she invites all to “tour the world through your taste buds.” Passionate cook, recipe developer and photo enthusiast, her culinary repertoire includes everything from gourmet to simple comfort food, and, as she puts it, “simply downright good eats.”