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Masoor Dal Recipe A serving bowl of cooked dal garnished with fried red chili and cilantro, served with steamed rice, paratha, and pickle on the side.

Masoor Dal Recipe

A simple, creamy, and flavorful red lentil curry masoor dal recipe made with a quick-cooking lentil base and aromatic tempering (tadka). Perfect for weeknight dinners, nutritious, and kid-friendly comfort food.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Bengali, Indian, Pakistani
Keyword: Beef short ribs recipe oven Pioneer Woman, best bone-in beef short ribs recipe oven, Boneless beef short ribs recipe oven, Braised beef short ribs recipe oven, How to cook beef short ribs fast, How to cook beef short ribs in the oven fast
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Resting/Patience Step: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 210kcal
Cost: $10

Equipment

  • 1 Heavy-Bottomed Pot (For simmering dal)
  • 1 Small frying pan (For tempering (tadka))
  • 1 Fine mesh strainer (To rinse lentils)
  • 1 Wooden spoon (For stirring)
  • 1 Sharp knife (For chopping aromatics)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Red lentils - Masoor dal rinsed well
  • ½ tsp Turmeric - Powder or fresh grated
  • 1 teaspoon Salt - Adjust to taste
  • 3 cups Water - For boiling lentils
  • 3 cloves Garlic - Minced
  • 1 medium Onion - Finely chopped
  • 2 medium Tomatoes - Ripe chopped
  • 1 Green chili - Optional slit
  • 2 tbsp Ghee / Oil - For tempering tadka
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds - For tadka
  • ½ teaspoon Mustard seeds - For tadka
  • 2 dried Red chili - Whole for flavor
  • 1 inch Ginger - Minced or grated
  • 3 teaspoon Spice mix - Coriander garam masala, chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice - At the end for freshness
  • 12 tbsp Cilantro - Fresh chopped garnish

Instructions

  • Rinse lentils until water runs clear. Chop onion, tomato, ginger, and garlic. Measure spices into small bowls.
    Prep Work – A wooden board with bowls of chopped onions, diced tomatoes, lentils, crushed chili, whole garlic, and spices arranged neatly.
  • In a pot, combine rinsed lentils, turmeric, water, and salt. Bring to a boil, then simmer until lentils are soft. Stir occasionally, mash lightly if needed.
    Make the Tempering – A small frying pan with sizzling ghee, dried red chilies, onions, ginger, garlic, and spices cooking together.
  • Heat ghee/oil in a small pan. Add cumin and mustard seeds; let them splutter. Add dried chilies, then ginger and garlic. Add onions and cook until golden, then add tomatoes and cook until soft. Stir in spice powders and cook briefly.
    Bring It Together – A pan of cooked tomatoes, herbs, and spices with hot liquid being poured in from a ladle.
  • Pour tempering into cooked dal and mix well. Simmer together for 5 minutes to blend flavors.
    Cook the Dal – A pot of simmering yellow lentils (dal) with chopped green herbs on top, being stirred with a wooden spoon.
  • Adjust thickness with water if needed. Let rest 10 minutes on low heat. Garnish with cilantro, lemon juice, and optional green chili before serving.
    Masoor Dal Recipe A serving bowl of cooked dal garnished with fried red chili and cilantro, served with steamed rice, paratha, and pickle on the side.

Notes

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g | Calories: 210kcal (11%) | Carbohydrates: 32g (11%) | Protein: 11g (22%) | Fat: 5g (8%) | Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 5mg (2%) | Sodium: 360mg (16%) | Potassium: 500mg (14%) | Fiber: 12g (50%) | Sugar: 3g (3%) | Vitamin A: 600IU (12%) | Vitamin C: 10mg (12%) | Calcium: 50mg (5%) | Iron: 4mg (22%)
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