Red Lentil Dahl also know as Masoor dal is a delicious Indian curry. Its quick simple and easy to make and requires very few ingredients. This a great source for plant based protein. I love to enjoy this with chapati or rice. The best thing about Red Lentil Dahl is that you can prepare it in 30 minutes and it is a one pot recipe. I make this recipe very often since it requires minimum preparation and it cooks very fast.
I love this Red Lentil Dahl very much because it is:
- Quick and easy to make
- Requires minimum ingredients
- Comforting, hearty and healthy
- Packed with plant based protein, complex carb, fiber and low in fat
I like to soak my Red Lentils since soaking lentils makes it easy for us to digest them. It also helps the lentils to cook nicely. The good thing about Red Lentils is that you do not have to soak it too long. What I like to do is rinse the lentil and then soak it and then I start sautéing ginger, garlic, onion and tomato. So while I am cooking all these veggies, lentils are soaking simultaneously. And then I drain the lentils and add it to cooked veggies.
To prepare this 1-Pot 30 Minutes Red Lentil Dahl, first rinse the lentils and then soak them for 10-15 minutes. While lentils are soaking, lets start preparing them tempering. Heat oil in a pan, add cumin and mustard seeds. Then saute ginger, garlic and onion. After that add pureed or chopped tomato along with tomato paste. Lets cook the tomato with all the spices. Now drain the lentils and add it to pan along with water. Bring the mixture to boil, then lower the heat and cover and cook. Delicious 1-Pot Red Lentil Dahl will be ready in 15-20 minutes.
1-Pot 30 Minutes Red Lentil Dahl is a great Indian comfort, hearty and healthy food. The recipe that I am sharing here is the very basic one. To add more creaminess to the dahl, you can even add some coconut milk. If you eat dairy products, then you can add regular cream. I prefer to add coconut milk sometimes.
This Red Lentil Dahl is a good source of plant based protein so its great for people following vegan and vegetarian diet. This also happens to be gluten free. I love to enjoy the Red Lentil Dahl with chapati, paratha and rice. Its a great recipe for weeknight meal as well since you just need one pot to prepare it and it only requires 30 minutes in total
1-Pot 30 Minutes Red Lentil Dahl Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup red lentil
- ½ Medium onion
- 1 Cup chopped tomato/tomato puree
- 1 Tablespoon tomato paste
- 4 Garlic cloves
- 1 Small piece of ginger
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- ¼ Teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ Teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 ¼ Teaspoon salt
- ½ Teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ Teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ Teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ Teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ Garam masala / curry powder
- 1 Teaspoon chili power or sweet paprika powder
Directions
- Step 1 Rinse and soak lentils for 10-15 minutes
- Step 2 While lentils are soaking, Heat oil in a pan, add cumin and mustard seeds.
- Step 3 Add grated ginger, garlic and then chopped onion.
- Step 4 Cook for 5 minutes until onion is soft and cooked. Then add all the spices and cook for 30 seconds
- Step 5 Add tomato puree or chopped tomato and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Step 6 Drain the red lentils and add to the pan. Add 2.5 cups of water and bring the mixture to boil.
- Step 7 Now lower the heat, cover the pan and cook the lentils for 15-20 minutes.
