By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Rating
- 4(393)
- Notes
- Read community notes
In India, dal refers to a number of lentil-shaped legumes. They are served with rice and curries, and are usually soupy, unlike this thick rendition, which resembles refried beans in consistency. If you prefer a soupier dish, double the amount of liquid.
Featured in: Lentils: A Versatile Staple Flavors Classic International Dishes
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves 4 to 6
- ½pound brown lentils (about 1⅛ cups), washed and picked over
- 1small onion, cut in half
- 2garlic cloves, cut in half
- 1bay leaf
- 4cups water (more if necessary)
- 2tablespoons canola or peanut oil
- 1teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
- ½teaspoon chili powder
- ½teaspoon turmeric
- 1 to 2teaspoons curry powder, to taste
- Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
- ½cup plain low-fat yogurt
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
191 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 2 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 547 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Combine the lentils, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and water in a medium soup pot or heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add salt to taste (under-salt slightly because you will be reducing the liquid), and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes, until the lentils are falling apart tender and fragrant. Remove the onion and garlic and discard.
Step
2
Heat the oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spices and stir as they sizzle for about 30 seconds, until very fragrant. Add the beans with their liquid and cook, stirring and mashing with the back of a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens, like refried beans. Add salt to taste, once the mixture has reduced to the desired consistency. Spoon onto plates and top each serving with a generous spoonful of yogurt and a sprinkling of chopped cilantro.
Tips
- Variation: Curried Lentil Soup: Use 5 cups water. Increase the salt in Step 1, as you will not be reducing the liquid. Reduce the oil in Step 2 to 1 tablespoon, and sauté the spices after the lentils have simmered for 30 minutes. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds, and remove from the heat. Add them to the lentils along with the salt, and simmer 15 minutes. Puree the soup coarsely with an immersion blender, taste and adjust seasonings. Serve garnished with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of cilantro.
- Advance preparation: This will keep for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator, but you will need to thin it out with water when you reheat.
Ratings
4
out of 5
393
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Cooking Notes
Cole
This was by far the best dish I've ever made with lentils. I served it with homemade mango pickle and the NYT recipe for coconut rice. A winning trifecta.
Paula
Does it really matter? The recipe is good.
Koko The Talking Ape
"Salt to taste" literally means "salt until you like it." In that, you don't need exterior guidance.
A staple
I add one can drained tomatoes after sauté of spices. Use 1 T of curry powder. Throw in frozen peas for color and lots of cilantro!
DNcgo
Did not cover pan while lentils were cooking. This enabled liquid to reduce throughout cooking process. Mixture still quite moist after approximately 30 minutes - and legumes were ready for skillet.
Neal
Step 2 directs one to "Add the beans with their liquid and cook." There are no beans in the recipe. I believe it should be corrected, to "Add the LENTILS with their liquid and cook." Lentils are legumes, as are beans, but I'm not aware of one referring to lentils as beans. Am I correct?
Koko The Talking Ape
I cannot, will not, understand why you have to throw out the garlic and onion. Also, curry powder is itself a mix of cumin, cardamon, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, fenugreek, etc. You could look up a curry recipe to guide you, or simply mix the above to taste.
Koko The Talking Ape
Lentils are beans. So no, you are not correct.
W SUMMERS
Salt notoriously toughens all legumes: leave seasoning until they are cooked.
How much salt?
I really hate when recipes just say salt to taste. Just give me amount to go from. Then I can add a little more or less. As it is, it could be a pinch, or a whole teaspoon, or more.
Brendan Collins
This came put pretty good using red lentils!
bestbets
Delicious and very easy to make.
Kiki
I think it should say lentils also, after all that is what the recipe calls for.
Kate
If you want to make it even simpler, cook the lentils in an instant pot. 2:1 lentil to water ratio, 10min on high then 10min natural release. Then add to the skillet with oil and carry on as written. It may not cut down on the clock time required, but it makes the recipe hands off and not require much monitoring at all. This has become an easy staple in our house!
Angela
My new go-to curried lentil recipe. I needed more like 6 cups of water and another 15 minutes of cooking for the lentils to be tender but it was well worth the wait. I also found the recipe amounts of spices to be a little light, so I went heavy-handed there. Served with NYT coconut rice and a squeeze of lime juice. Don't skip the yogurt! It's what really puts this recipe over the top!
Kate
If you want to make it even simpler, cook the lentils in an instant pot. 2:1 lentil to water ratio, 10min on high then 10min natural release. Then add to the skillet with oil and carry on as written. It may not cut down on the clock time required, but it makes the recipe hands off and not require much monitoring at all. This has become an easy staple in our house!
Sylvia
Sequestered in NYCity today. Made this dish. I had saved it a while ago. I am not a lentil lover, but cooked this way it is just delicious. Thank you Martha Rose Shulman.
Jonathan
Yummy but it could have been so much more. It just seemed to lack depth. I doubled every spice and added the can of tomatoes as someone else recommended, too. For next time: have Naan bread to soak it up.
Leslie
Lovely, cheap and easy. The lentils, I mean. Made with curry powder from the Indian market and served with Samin Nosrat’s yogurt sauce.
notes
I used this more as a guide. I didn't feel like the spices they provided were enough.- I used green lentils- added Garan Masala- added 1-2 tbsp of butter- added 2 teaspoon Kashmir Chili Powder
Gigi
I made half the recipe but used all the spices as written (very hot). I boiled the lentils with one-half an onion and one garlic clove. I chopped the other half of the onion and minced a clove of garlic and sautéed it in one tablespoon oil before adding the spices and a tablespoon of tomato paste. I then added the cooked lentils and mashed per the recipe. Delicious!
Jeff Sugarman
A family favorite. Double the garlic. Don't remove the onion and the garlic.
Helen Akinc
This is very good. Easy and tasty. I cut the onion and chopped up the garlic and left it in. Spicing was excellent. A very satisfying dish and attractive with the yogurt and cilantro. I will definitely make this again. Have to watch the water carefully.
Margaret
Very soupy in consistency
Kelly
I liked it, but more salt and up the spices 1 T of curry and probably 2 t of chili powder the next time. It needed more kick. I did add tomatoes, peas and I used sour cream and parsley because that's what I had. Will make again.
Lindsey
I added a sweet potato I had, and it lent a subtle sweetness. Absent garlic cloves, I added about 1/2 tsp. garlic powder to the other spices in the skillet. No turmeric on hand. Delicious results.
Kelly
I made this then put in the crockpot to keep warm. Served with rice, sour cream, cilantro and the radish herb salad on this site. Delicious, I added more water and didn't puree. I may make this weekly for lunch this winter, so easy with big flavor.
W SUMMERS
Salt notoriously toughens all legumes: leave seasoning until they are cooked.
Brendan Collins
This came put pretty good using red lentils!
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