Thursday, March 12, 2009

Warm Red Lentil Dal

My latest inspiration-expedition into my recipe files turned up this red lentil dal from the February 2002 issue of Living. It was from an article about healthy peas and lentils. The pea bisque with shrimp and tarragon sounded great too, but the lentils worked well as starter or snack before a late dinner of Andhra scrambled eggs. I use red lentils pretty frequently for soup, and I find that they cook much faster than other lentils. Their texture is softer, and I would say they nearly melt in your mouth. When they begin to break apart a little while cooking and thicken the broth, I get very happy.

The pretty, red lentils were rinsed and then placed in a pot with water, broth, and turmeric and left to cook for about 20 minutes. In a small skillet, butter was melted and then garlic, cumin seeds, and crushed red pepper were added. Once fragrant, that was poured into the lentils. Diced tomatoes, mint, and salt were added as well. This could be served piping hot or at room temperature. Pita chips were suggested for dipping, but we used some store-bought, whole wheat naan instead.

The cumin and mint added nice flavor, and the heat from the crushed red pepper can be adjusted to your taste. It makes a delicious and filling snack. We went diving right into it only to realize that a couple of bites with naan were enough to tide us over until mealtime. Fortunately, the leftovers re-heated nicely, and it was delicious all over again a couple of days later.


18 comments:

  1. Red lentil dal, in various forms, is one of my all time favorite foods. I have already posted about it twice on my blog! This looks simple and delicious.

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  2. I've never had dal before, but I always want to try it! I love red lentils, and this looks like a fantastic recipe!

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  3. I really like dal, the last one I made was split pea with spinach and cauliflower. I want to try this recipe, I really like lentils.

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  4. Can't wait to try I just love lentils. Looks great Lisa.

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  5. I was doing an inventory of my pantry for my grocery shop challenge this week and realized I still had red lentils - now I know what to do with them!

    I've never tried this before but I will definitely add a lot of spice!

    Thanks!

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  6. Lentils--another thing on the list of dishes to try cooking.

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  7. This dal sounds wonderful and I would love it with naan bread! Yummy!

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  8. oh my gosh - that sounds delicious! i adore lentils. sounds so yummy!

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  9. I really wanted to learn how to cook a rich lentil dish, and you just taught me how to in a lovely fashion! The heat and the cumin and mint sound that they would explode in your mouth with deliciousness!

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  10. That looks absolutely soul warming.

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  11. I love cumin and mint! Your lentil pictures look very comforting! I have lentils at home but don't cook them very often, I have to come back for your recipe. Thanks! Have a great weekend!

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  12. oh, this looks yummy, and nutrious too.

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  13. I just love those ingredients that you use and put to this dish! Yummy!

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  14. I always have dal, but tend to pick up the yellow ones most of the time. Sounds like it's time to try out the other varieties.

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  15. Just suits me for today as it's snowing outside. This will warm us. I love red lentils, too. If I make its soup, I generally prefer mashing them with a blender.

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  16. That looks nice and healthy and tasty!

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  17. I've never heard of putting mint in dahl before. How interesting. Very pretty picture, by the way.

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  18. Can I seriously come over for dinner soon? ...... your recipe sounds so yummy.....

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