Simple Dhal Recipe
For an easy dhal fix this recipe is ideal. No frills and with minimal ingredients, it’s just a hearty pot of lentil goodness to enjoy.
The recipe will make 3-4 generous portions which work very well as a side dish or served as a snack with rice or chapatis.
It can be used also as an ingredient to other dishes, for example in a dhansak or samber restaurant style curry. When I make this dhal I portion 120ml amounts into freezer bags. When wanting to use some in a curry I take a portion from the freezer and do a quick defrost in the microwave. It makes like easier – always have some dhal to hand.
INGREDIENTS
- 250g Red Split Lentils
- 2 TBSP (30ml) Oil
- 1 TBSP Cumin Seeds
- 2 tsp Ginger/Garlic Paste
- 2 tsp Curry Powder
SPACEHOLDER
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 TBSP Tomato Purée
- Hot Water
METHOD
- Rinse the lentils in cold water several times.
- Add the oil to a saucepan on medium heat.
- When hot, add the cumin seeds and cook for 30-40 seconds.
- Then add the ginger/garlic paste and stir until it browns.
- Add the curry powder, turmeric, garam masala, and salt. Cook for a further 30-40 seconds, adding a splash of water to give the spices time to cook without sticking to the pan and burning.
SPACEHOLDER
- Now add the lentils and the tomato purée. Mix thoroughly to get the lentils evenly coated.
- Next add 1½ litres of hot water, stir, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down a bit to achieve a gentle rolling simmer.
- Leave to cook for 45-60 minutes, or until the lentils have fully softened. The final thickness is down to your preference – add more water if you want, but bear in mind that when the dhal has cooled it will thicken up of its own accord.
- Taste and add salt to taste if desired.
NOTES
- All spoon measurements are level (1 tsp = 5ml, 1 TBSP = 15ml).
SPACEHOLDER
- Please visit the Misty Ricardo’s Curry Kitchen YouTube Channel for lots of Indian recipes: www.youtube.com/c/mistyricardo
Books by Richard Sayce
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This recipe calls for 2 TBSP Tomato Puree. Would I be right to assume this is the double concentrate straight from the tube, and not the Tomato Paste in other recipes that call for 1 part tomato puree to 3 parts water?
Yes, that’s correct. If it says ‘Tomato Puree’ in my recipes it means undiluted, whereas ‘Tomato Paste’ is the diluted version.