Does anyone have a good recipe for dhal using red lentils?!
Does anyone have a good recipe for dhal using red lentils?
Answers:
Red Lentil Dhal
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 medium yellow onion
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried red lentils
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4-5 cups chicken stock or water or vegetable broth
5 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 lime, juice of
1 cup lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
Spice blend
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
6 whole cloves
2 dried red chilies (seeds removed)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Steps:
1. In a saute pan over medium heat, toast the seeds (but not the dried red chili) for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from pan and let cool.
3. Transfer to coffee grinder, along with the dried red chili and cinnamon, and grind to a fine powder.
4. Over medium-high heat oil a soup pot, add onions and saute for 5 minutes.
5. Add garlic and ginger and saute 5 more minutes.
6. Add spices and salt, saute 5 minutes more.
7. Add 4 cups of liquid (stock, water or broth) and stir to deglaze the pot.
8. Add tomato paste and lentils.
9. Bring to a boil then lower the heat a bit and simmer for 20 minutes.
10. Add the tomatoes, lime juice and cilantro and more water if it looks to thick.
11. Simmer 10 more minutes, or until lentils are completely tender.
Good luck!
I am a former chef and have found that red lentils or ural dal will cook well in the microwave, I generally start by cooking my potatos first, giving them 10 minutes with a small amount of water, then I add my chopped onion, garlic, grated ginger and spices. Then a 1/2 pint of stock, bring it to the boil and the add 2 cups of dal and a bit more water, just to make a soupy mixture.
Cook for 20 minutes in the microwave at 80%, stir and 10 more mins at 90%, and there done, and you don't heat up the kitchen, I have done this also in a slow cooker, but on the stovetop hob, it must be stirred and watched, as it will boil over quickly, start them out at a high heat and slow it down, or put them in the oven and cook them covered for 35-40 imin at 350 or gas mark 4.