Moong Dal: Vegetarian Indian Yellow Lentil Dhal
Easy yellow Indian lentil dhal simmers the yellow lentils in vegetable broth, turmeric, and cayenne for a spicy vegetarian side dish.
- Preparation:
- Cooking:
- Total:
- Serves: 4 persons
Ingredients
- 1cup mung dal
- 2cups water or vegetable broth
- 1teaspoon turmeric
- Dash cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- ½teaspoon kosher salt
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 1onion, diced
- 1teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2whole cloves
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Step 1
Gather the ingredients.Step 2
In a large soup or stock pan, combine mung dal or yellow lentils, vegetable broth, turmeric, cayenne, and salt. Bring to a slow simmer.Step 3
Cover partially with a lid and allow to cook for at least 20 minutes, and up to 30 to 40 minutes if you prefer a smoother dal. You can add a bit more liquid if needed.Step 4
In a separate skillet, saute onion, cumin seeds, and clove in olive oil for just a few minutes over medium heat, until onions are soft.Step 5
Add onions and spices to mung dal or lentils and allow to simmer for a few more minutes, stirring well to combine. Sprinkle with a dash of black pepper and add extra salt to taste, if needed. Serve plain, as soup, or over rice. Dal tends to thicken up a bit as it cools, so you may want to add a bit more water if you are planning on having leftovers. However, personal preference also plays a role in how thin or how thick you prefer your dal to be. It's always easy to add more liquid.