Empress Dal

Name: Empress Dal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: South Asia — Muslim traditions
Ingredients: 3 tbsp canola oil; 2 tsp cumin seeds; 3 whole dried red chilies; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 1 small garlic cloves; 1 cup dried lentils; 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tbsp amchur; 4 cup water; 1 tsp salt

Gently simmered lentils, red chilies and amchur, warmed with cumin and turmeric, a South Asian dal.

40 min · Serves 4 · Easy

Method

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Time: Prep 10 min · Cook 30 min · 40 min total
Difficulty: easy

1
Combine the oil, cumin, red chiles and turmeric in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2
Cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the garlic or asafetida, lentils, cayenne, and mango powder, if using, (if using lemon juice instead, stir in at the end), and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
3
Add the water and salt, bring to a boil and skim well. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the lentils are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
30 min
4
Add more water during cooking if necessary. Taste for salt and add more if you need to. Ladle about ½ cup of the lentils into a small bowl and mash them with a spoon.
5
Return the mashed lentils to the pot and give the dal a stir. Then continue cooking at a simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes to thicken.
5 min
6
If you like a thicker dal, use a whisk to break up the lentils into a puree. If you like a thinner dal, add more water. Stir in the lemon juice, if using. Serve hot.