This is a great vegetarian recipe that is very popular in South Asian cooking. This version is very easy because I have preboiled the lentils. Onions, tomatoes, green chili, garlic/ginger are sautéed in oil with plenty of spices. It’s finished off with fresh cilantro, garam masala and squeeze of lemon.
Split peas and lentils come from a different variety of legumes that come as green or yellow. No matter the variety, legumes are healthy, delicious and are a great staple for your meal planning.
RECIPE NOTES
Always make sure you go through any dry lentils checking for debris.
I went ahead and preboiled the lentils till almost done. To save time I preboil and set aside and when I am ready I make the spice mixture. You can definitely make it at once and don’t have to preboil. After making the onion/tomato spice mixture in oil just add lentils and water about 3 cups and let it cook till done.
The consistency can be thick or thin. You can adjust by adding more or less water.
This is mildly spicy. You can always add more green chilies, dry red chili pepper flakes.
Serve with
other recipes you make enjoy
Brown lentils (Whole Masoor dal)
- 1 cup dry yellow split pea (picked through and rinsed)
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1 tsp. fresh garlic/ginger
- 1 serrano chopped
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- ½ tsp. chili powder (adjust)
- 1½ tsp. cumin powder
- 3 cups water for boiling lentils
- ½ tsp. salt (adjust)
- Garnish
- few tbsp. fresh cilantro chopped
- ¼ tsp. garam masala
- juice of ½ lemon
- Make sure lentils are picked through and rinsed.
- Preboil the lentils till almost done in 3 cups of water about 25-30 minutes. I just make sure the water is covering the lentils entire boiling time.
- Heat oil in medium pot over medium heat. Add onions and green chili, sauté till light golden brown about 3 minutes. Add cumin seeds, garlic and ginger, sauté for 30 seconds just until rawness of garlic/ginger is cooked out. Add tomatoes and spices. Saute till tomato is cooked down and oil starts to separate from onion/tomato mixture 3-5 min. If you feel like spice mixture is sticking just add few tbsp. of water.
- Add the preboiled lentils with the boiling remaining water which should be about 1 cup.
- Add extra ½ cup of water. You can skip this if the consistency is too thin for you.
- Let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
- Garnish with cilantro, squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle with garam masala.
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