Mixed Lentil Dal

A proper and nourishing vegetarian diet must consist of a balance of legumes, grains and vegetables for complete proteins. This dal is easy to prepare and just right with a dressed up rice dish on the side such as Indian Lemon Brown Rice. A creamy blend of split dals, and a most delectable blend of spices along with the paste that makes the dish full of flavor and just right.

Yet another recipe adapted from Sukham Ayu by Jigyasa Giri and Pratibha Jain. I highly recommend this cookbook to people who adore Indian cooking such as I do. If you want to learn about vegetarian Ayurvedic cooking, this is the book you must have on your shelf.

Mixed Lentil Dal

Recipe by Lisa Turner Adapted from Sukham Ayu: Cooking at Home With Ayurvedic Insights Cuisine: Indian Published on October 5, 2011 A creamy blend of split dals and fragrant spices combined in a simple but flavorful curry Print this recipe Dals: 1/2 cup red lentils 3 tablespoons channa dal 2 tablespoons skinless urad dal 2 tablespoons split mung dal 1/2 teaspoon turmeric Paste: 2 teaspoons coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 3 - 4 dried whole red chilies 2 fresh chilies, seeded and chopped 4-inch piece of cinnamon stick 4 black peppercorns 2 whole cloves 1 clove garlic, chopped 1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped Finish: 2 -3 teaspoons ghee, butter or oil 1 small onion, finely chopped dash of cayenne dash of asafoetida sea salt to taste 1/2 teaspoon amchoor (dried mango) powder Garnish: fresh coriander or parsley Instructions: Rinse the dals and soak in 3 cups of water for 1/2 hour to an hour. Bring to a boil along with the turmeric, reduce the heat and simmer until the dals are tender, about 20 - 30 minutes. Blend a portion of the dals using a hand blender or food processor or blender. Set aside. Grind or blend all of the ingredients for the paste with a tablespoon of water. Heat the ghee, butter or oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed frying pan. Toss in the onion, stir and fry for 5 - 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the paste, cayenne, asafoetida, and sauté for another 5 - 6 minutes. Transfer to the pot with the dal, along with the amchoor powder, sea salt and 3/4 cup of warm water. Simmer for about 10 minutes, adding more water to achieve your desired consistency. Garnish with fresh parsley or coriander and serve hot. Makes 4 - 6 servings

More lentil recipes from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen you are sure to enjoy:
Urad Dal and Tomato Soup
Spicy Lentil Indian Stew
Mustard Roasted Adzuki Beans with Urad Dal
Chickpeas, Kidney Beans and Lentils with a Spicy Tomato Sauce

On the top the reading stack: 1,000 Indian Recipes by Neelam Batra

Audio Accompaniment: Adham Shaikh