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Red Lentil Dal

This easy Indian dal is ready in under an hour, and makes a satisfying vegetarian lunch or dinner. Serve with rice or naan. This soup also keeps well and can be frozen for up to three months.

Elise Bauer

Elise founded Simply Recipes in 2003 and led the site until 2019. She has an MA in Food Research from Stanford University.

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Elise Bauer
Updated December 30, 2019
Elise Bauer
Red Lentil Dal
Elise Bauer

One of the things I love about red lentils is that they cook up so quickly. Unlike their sturdier brown and green lentil cousins, when cooked, red lentils quickly fall apart into a smooth mush-like consistency.

So, if you get a late morning hankering for some lentils, you can easily whip up a batch in time for lunch.

Dal: A Staple Indian Recipe

This red lentil dal recipe comes by way of my friend Kerissa Barron, who spent several months living and traveling through India. According to Kerissa, every region of India has its own version of the Indian staple dal, which is essentially lentil soup.

This particular version comes out of the state of West Bengal and features Bengali five spice, called panch phoran, a fragrant blend of fennel seed, fenugreek, nigella seeds, cumin seed and mustard seed. If nigella seeds are not available where you are, you can use black (or white) sesame seeds instead.

In West Bengal and throughout India, dal is eaten at nearly every meal, serving as a sauce, a soup and a way to mash and stick food together (traditionally they eat with their hands in this region).

I've made Kerissa's recipe a couple of times and love the flavors and how easy it is to make. Do you have a favorite Indian dal recipe? Please let us know about it in the comments.

Red Lentil Dal
Elise Bauer

What to Serve With Dal

You can serve dal as a simple meal with a side of rice, naan, or papadams. You can also serve dal as a side dish for chicken or lamb.

How to Store and Freeze Dal

Dal will keep refrigerated for about five days and can be gently reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave. You can also freeze dal for up to three months (try this method).

Try These Other Indian Recipes

Red Lentil Dal

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Servings 4 servings

To create a garlic paste, finely chop the garlic, then sprinkle with a little kosher salt (to act as an abrasive) and crush with the side of a large chopping knife over the mixture until garlic breaks down and becomes paste-like.

No fresh tomatoes? You can substitute with 1 cup of canned crushed tomatoes.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup red lentils (yellow lentils will work as well)
  • 3 cups water
  • 3 plum tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion
  • 2 medium cloves garlic, finely chopped and made into a paste (see Recipe Note)
  • 2 teaspoons Bengali five spice mix (panch phoron) OR 1/2 teaspoon nigella seeds or black (or white) sesame seeds, 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, and (if available) 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice)
  • 8 sprigs cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped
  • Cooked basmati rice, optional

Method

  1. Cook the lentils:

    Place 1 cup of red lentils in a metal sieve. Rinse well with cold water.

    Pour cleaned lentils into a medium sauce pan. Add 3 cups of water. Bring lentils and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the lentils are soft.

    red-lentil-dal-method-1
    Elise Bauer
    red-lentil-dal-method-2
    Elise Bauer
  2. Blanch and chop the tomatoes:

    While the lentils are cooking in step 1, bring a separate small pot of water to a boil.

    Score the peel of the tomatoes with a sharp knife in the shape of an "X". Place the tomatoes in the boiling water and blanch for one minute.

    Remove the tomatoes to a bowl to cool. Once cool, peel the tomatoes and cut out and discard the tough stem end. Chop the tomatoes, or mash them, and set aside.

  3. Sauté the onions with seasonings:

    After the lentils in step 1 have cooked at least 5 minutes, start preparing the onions and spices.

    In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions. Cook until translucent, about 3 minutes.

    Add garlic paste and cook for 1 minute more, stirring continuously, making sure that the garlic does not burn. Add the Bengali five spice. Cook and stir for another 2-3 minutes. Add bay leaf and turmeric. Stir.

    red-lentil-dal-method-3
    Elise Bauer
  4. Add cooked lentils:

    To the onions and spices, add the cooked lentils along with the lentil cooking water. Add salt. Cook for 10 minutes.

    red-lentil-dal-method-4
    Elise Bauer
  5. Finish the soup:

    Add lime juice and tomatoes. Cook for 3-5 more minutes. Adjust salt if necessary.

    Stir in chopped cilantro and remove from heat. Garnish with more chopped cilantro.

    Serve with basmati rice or naan bread.

    red-lentil-dal-method-5
    Elise Bauer