Red Lentil Dal with Tomatoes, Onions and Coriander

Mum’s Red Lentil Dal with tomatoes, onions and coriander

I grew up eating this dal, or a variation on it, on an almost weekly basis. My mother, who is Scottish, got fully on board with the traditional Indian lentil Dal that my father, who is Indian, was accustomed to enjoying with many meals and became a prolific dal-maker. It’s a quick, nutritious and cheap soup that can be a meal in its own right, served with rice, chapatti or for ease, as we used to have at home, toasted pitta breads from the freezer! Alternatively, it would be excellent served alongside a selection of curries. For the latter, some prefer the dal to be thicker, whereas I like it much thinner and almost able to be drunk rather than spooned! The choice is yours - simply add more or less water at the end of cooking.

This recipe can be easily adapted to use any vegetables that are languishing in the fridge - spinach, grated courgettes, leeks , carrots etc. It’s nice to not have the vegetables too overcooked, so add them towards the end of cooking.

RED LENTIL DAL RECIPE

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 tbsp rapeseed oil

  • 2 white onions, sliced

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1” piece ginger, finely sliced

  • 1 tbsp nigella (kalonji, aka black onion seed)

  • 1 tbsp black mustard seed

  • 1/2 tbsp cumin seed

  • 1 tbsp curry powder

  • 1 tbsp turmeric

  • 300g red lentils

  • 4-5 large tomatoes, roughly chopped

  • Juice of 1 lemon

  • Salt

  • A small handful of coriander, chopped

METHOD

  1. In a large soup pot, heat the rapeseed oil over medium heat.

  2. Add the sliced onions and fry for 5-8 minutes, until lightly coloured. Add the garlic, ginger and whole spices to the pan, and fry for a few moments till aromatic.

  3. Add the ground spices and fry briefly, then add the chopped tomatoes and a splash of water to stop everything from sticking.

  4. Then, add the red lentils and enough water to cover the lentils, plus roughly 1” more water over the top. The more water you add, the thinner a dal you will make, but it will be easier to cook without the lentils catching!

  5. Bring the pan to a simmer and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, until the lentils are just tender.

  6. Season well with the lemon juice and plenty of salt, and finish with a handful of fresh coriander. Add water to adjust the consistency as you prefer.

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