Easy Masoor Dal Recipe – made with whole masoor dal or red lentils. They go well with steamed rice, pao (buns) or with chapatis. This is one of my favorite dals when made by mom. She made this while I went clicking the pics.
This recipe is made with basic ingredient’s found in your house. Some spices like turmeric, garam masala etc are used. The ingredient’s are simple but the taste is classic and delicious.
Indian’s are fond of dals (lentils) be it any kind. They are also a great source of proteins for vegetarian’s. A hot pot of rice, dal and pickle is great on any rainy day 🙂
There are popular dals from India which are famous worldwide like dal makhani, dal fry, dal tadka and the list goes on and on. Mostly dals are served with steamed rice and some ghee drizzled over it. Also side dishes like raita, vegetable, pickles and papad.
Let’s make Masoor Dal recipe step by step:
1. Posting a picture for sabut (whole) masoor dal.
2. Firsty soak the masoor dal over-night or for few hours but this is optional.
3. Rinse the dal under tap water. Pressure cook them until 3 whistles.
4. They should look like this.
5. Keep all the ingredient’s handy for the recipe.
6. Heat oil in a vessel.
7. Once oil is hot add mustard seed and cumin seed.
8. Once they crackle add garlic, ginger and chilies.
9. Now add the onion and saute.
10. Also add the asofoetida. I forgot to add earlier so adding now.
11. Fry the onion until it changes color and appears pale pink in color.
12. Add the chopped tomatoes.
13. Also add all the spice powder except garam masala and amchur powder.
14. Mix all nicely and allow the tomatoes to cook further and soften.
15. Add some coriander leaves.
16. Pour the cooked masoor dal.
17. Add water as consistency required.
18. Allow to simmer until it starts bubbling. Lastly add salt, garam masala, amchur powder and coriander leaves.
19. Switch off the gas and serve you hot masoor dal with steamed rice and papad.
Masoor Dal Recipe and the printable version below:
- 1 cup whole red lentils (whole masoor dal)
- 2.5 cups water
- salt as required
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seed
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 8-9 curry leaves
- 1 tbsp chopped ginger
- 1 tsp asofoetida
- 2-3 green chilies
- 6-7 garlic cloves chopped finely
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp more of onion chopped finely
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp garam masala powder
- 1 tsp coriander seed powder
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp amchur powder
- 1 cup water or as required
- salt as per taste
- ¼th cup coriander leaves
- Firsty soak the masoor dal over-night or for few hours but this is optional.
- Rinse the dal under tap water. Pressure cook them until 3 whistles.
- They should look like this,
- Keep all the ingredient's handy for the recipe.
- Heat oil in a vessel.
- Once oil is hot add mustard seed and cumin seed.
- Once they crackle add garlic, ginger and chilies.
- Now add the onion and saute.
- Also add the asofoetida.
- Fry the onion until it changes color and appears pale pink in color.
- Add the chopped tomatoes.
- Also add all the spice powder except garam masala and amchur powder.
- Mix all nicely and allow the tomatoes to cook further and soften.
- Add some coriander leaves.
- Pour the cooked masoor dal.
- Add water as consistency required.
- Allow to simmer until it starts bubbling. Lastly add salt, garam masala, amchur powder and coriander leaves.
- Switch off the gas and serve you hot masoor dal with steamed rice and papad.
2. Alter the seasoning and spices as per your taste and preference.
Therese says
Hi, haven’t cooked this yet but I wanted to ask about the curry leaves. You mention them in the ingredient’s list but not in the recipe method. Is it an actual part of the recipe or did you just forget to mention their addition in the recipe method?
Also, I can’t see any of your pictures. You may want to recheck this recipe page just in case there is something wrong with the images.
Therese says
Never mind the images part, suddenly I can see them!
maria says
No issues thanks Therese.
james says
hello!
thanks for this recipe. i made it tonight and thought it was great. id def. make it again. i used 2 serranos and 1 jalapeno for the peppers. i thought it was pretty spicy. the amchuur was a Nice addition in the end.
i have a question about the seeds.. maybe you couod help me out? when i add them to the oil, theyll sit there and not really pop until i add other ingredients; then they fly everywhere. am i using too much oil or is the pan not hot enough?
thanks again for this tasty recipe!
– james from san francisco
maria says
Thankyou James glad you liked the masoor dal. The oil has to be hot and when you add mustard seed they have to crackle they might pop up. But if the oil is warm enough they should pop less hope this help’s you. It’s our pleasure.