Whole Masoor Dal (Indian-Style Brown Lentils)

This whole masoor dal has earned a spot in my comfort meal rotation for life. Whole masoor (brown lentils) are pressure cooked and then mixed with a tempering of aromatics, tomato, and spices. So easy and so nourishing.

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I’m in my last few weeks of undergrad and I realized I’ve never done easy college meal videos, or at least I’ve never called it that. Regardless of whether or not I’m taking classes, easy is usually how we roll most days. This whole masoor dal is something I like packing with rice for the middle of the day or coming home to at the end of a long day because dal reminds me of my mom’s food. Prioritizing ease and affordability is important to me, and dal certainly checks the boxes that, but feeding the soul is also a priority.

You can make this whole masoor dal with the spices you have access to. I used coriander, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and a pinch of hing (asafetida), all of which I brought with me from home so I didn’t have to track them down myself or buy spices in quantities that I may not be able to finish. Highly recommend. This dal comes together in maybe 20 minutes of actual work because all you do is mix your tempering with some pressure cooked lentils. Make it once and have cozy vibes after class for days.

How to Make Whole Masoor Dal

Pressure cook the dal.

You can make this in a pressure cooker, Instant Pot, or stovetop. For Instant Pot, try 15 minutes at high pressure. For stove top, try simmering for 30-40 minutes.

Prepare the aromatics and spices.

Start with cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, green chili, and onions. Once the onions are well cooked, add a tomato and salt.

For the spices, I used a pinch of hing (asafetida), coriander, turmeric, and garam masala.

For serving

I always love dal with basmati rice. Pictured below you’ll also see some baingan bhaja, lightly pan-fried spicy eggplant rounds. To make them, simply mix 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp red chili powder, and 1/2 tsp salt on a plate. Coat each side of 1/2-inch thick eggplant with the spices. Let the eggplant sit for 15 minutes and then pan fry 1-2 tbsp neutral oil until golden on both sides.

Whole Masoor Dal

This whole masoor dal has earned a spot in my comfort meal rotation for life. Whole masoor (brown lentils) are pressure cooked and then mixed with a tempering of aromatics, tomato, and spices. So easy and so nourishing.
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Cook Time 30 mins
Course Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

cooked lentils

  • 1 cup whole masoor (brown lentils)
  • 3 cups water
  • ¼ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt

whole masoor dal

  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
  • ¾ tsp cumin seeds
  • pinch of hing (asafetida) (optional)
  • 1 inch ginger, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 green chili, minced
  • ¼ medium onion, chopped
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp red chili powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • ¼ tsp garam masala
  • salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Prepare the lentils. Add lentils, water, turmeric, and salt to a pressure cooker and pressure cook on medium heat for about 5 whistles.
    If using an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. If cooking on the stove, prepare the aromatics/spices first, add the lentils, and then simmer for 30-40 minutes.
  • Heat oil over medium heat in a pan. Once it's hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds to a minute.
  • Then add the chopped ginger, garlic, and green chili. Stir for a couple of minutes. Add onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until onions are light golden brown in color. Stir often.
  • Add in the tomatoes and a big pinch of salt. Cook until the tomatoes mush together in the pan.
  • Add the spices: coriander, red chili powder, turmeric, and garam masala. Stir with the rest of it for 1 minute.
  • Pour the pan's contents into the pressure cooker with the prepared lentils. Adjust with some water and salt if necessary. Serve with rice!
Keyword dal, Indian food, Indian recipes, lentils

For more dal, check out…

Dal tadka

Dal makhani

2 comments

  • Whoops, not sure how I missed that! Thanks for letting me know. Just updated it!

  • Hey, just noticing that you don’t list the onion or green chili in the ingredients list. Is this intentional?

    In any case, this looks great! Can’t wait to try it 🙂

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