Indian Daal with Prema
A simple and comforting Indian daal recipe made with red lentils and aromatic spices.
35m4Servings
Nutrition
215kcal
12gProtein
34gCarbs
4gFat
High Protein, High Fiber
Ingredients
Red Lentils
1 cup
Turmeric
1 tsp
Water
2½ cups
Olive Oil
to drizzle
1 tbsp
Ghee or Butter
2 tbls
Cumin Seeds
1½ tsp
Onion
small or ½ of 1 large
0.5 whole
Fresh Ginger
about 1 inch, peeled and sliced or grated
1 piece
Green Chilli Pepper
to taste
1 piece
Fresh Cilantro
A few leaves
¼ cup
Salt
To taste
to taste
Instructions
1Cook the Lentils
20m
20mRinse Lentils
Wash and drain the red lentils twice. Add 2 ½ cups of water per 1 cup of lentils to a pot.
Add Turmeric
Add turmeric to the pot with the lentils and water.
Drizzle Oil
Drizzle olive oil on top of the lentils and water mixture. Do not stir.
Simmer Lentils
Cook over low to medium-low heat uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and appear homogenous.
2Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
10m
10mHeat Ghee
Add 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter to a small frying pan and heat over medium heat.
Toast Cumin
Once the pan is hot, add the cumin seeds. Stir until they sizzle and become aromatic.
Sauté Aromatics
Add fresh ginger and green chili pepper to the frying pan and stir quickly for about 30 seconds. Then, add the chopped onion and stir until it is slightly browned.
3Combine and Finish
5m
5mAdd Tadka to Daal
Pour the prepared tempering (tadka) from the frying pan into the pot of cooked lentils.
Season and Garnish
Add 1 ½ teaspoons of salt and most of the fresh cilantro to the daal, reserving some for garnish. Stir gently to combine.
Serve
Serve the daal hot, poured over white rice. Garnish with the remaining fresh cilantro.
Tips
For a richer flavor, use ghee instead of butter.
Adjust the amount of green chili pepper to your spice preference.
If you don't have cumin seeds, you can use ground cumin, but add it with the turmeric in step 2 of cooking the lentils to prevent burning.