Homestyle Red Lentil Dal with Cooling Raita

Name: Homestyle Red Lentil Dal with Cooling Raita
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 0.5 cup basmati rice (uncooked); 1.75 cup water; 0.75 cup red lentils (rinsed); 0.75 cup vegetable broth; 0.5 yellow onion (medium, finely chopped); 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated); 1 clove garlic (minced); 0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric; 0.5 teaspoon curry powder; 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 0.5 teaspoon salt; 0.25 teaspoon black pepper; 0.5 cup plain yogurt; 0.25 cup English cucumber (grated); 1 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped)

A comforting and quick red lentil dal, subtly spiced and simmered to perfection, served with fluffy basmati rice and a refreshing cucumber-mint raita to balance the flavors.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 20 min
Total: 30 min
Servings: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: $1.89/serving

Dietary

Vegetarian
Nut-Free
Egg-Free
High-Fiber
Pescatarian
Low-Fat

Ingredients

0.5 cup basmati rice (uncooked)
1.75 cup water
0.75 cup red lentils (rinsed)
0.75 cup vegetable broth
0.5 yellow onion (medium, finely chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (grated)
1 clove garlic (minced)
0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
0.5 teaspoon curry powder
0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
0.5 teaspoon salt
0.25 teaspoon black pepper
0.5 cup plain yogurt
0.25 cup English cucumber (grated)
1 tablespoon fresh mint (chopped)

Instructions

Cook the basmati rice: Rinse 1/2 cup basmati rice. In a small saucepan, combine rinsed rice with 1 cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Prepare the raita: In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/4 cup grated English cucumber, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint. Stir well and refrigerate until serving.
Start the dal: In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add 0.5 medium yellow onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened. Stir in 1 teaspoon fresh ginger and 1 clove garlic, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
Add 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if using). Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds until aromatic.
Stir in 3/4 cup rinsed red lentils, 3/4 cup vegetable broth, and 3/4 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-18 minutes, or until lentils are tender and have absorbed most of the liquid. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Season the dal with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste. If the dal is too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water to reach desired consistency.
Serve the red lentil dal hot with basmati rice and a side of cooling raita.

Notes

Red lentils cook much faster than other lentil varieties, making this a perfect quick meal. For a richer dal, a tablespoon of butter can be added at the end of cooking. Store dal and raita separately; dal will keep well for up to 4 days, raita for 2-3 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 567
Protein: 24.3 g
Carbohydrates: 90.8 g
Fat: 11.4 g
Fiber: 9.2 g
Sodium: 919 mg
Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
Sugar: 8 g
Cholesterol: 7 mg