Moong Dal with Cumin Seeds
This dal would be a great complement to the seekh kebabs from yesterday. It is a dal dish my Mom has made for years and this is the first time I have ever made it myself. I do have another recipe for it on the blog courtesy of my Mom. I always thought it was very complicated and hard to make this particular version.
Typically one adds the lentils and water to a pan and the dish is cooked till the lentils are soft- very simple. This one, you cook like pasta- once the lentils are al dente, you drain and then dress with different spices or herbs.
In my case, I decided to keep it simple and add cumin seeds, onions and ginger. I of course added some garam masala – which I think adds a very distinctive flavor. I finished it with some fresh chopped cilantro. I couldn’t believe how simple it was to make- this will definitely be part of my repertoire. Try this dish, you will really like it…
- 1 cup moong dal (yellow)
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
Tempering
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 3 to 4 green onions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup cilantro, chopped
Add the dal, water, salt and turmeric to a medium deep pan.
Bring to a boil and lower the heat to medium. Stir occasionally and cook till the lentils
are soft not too mushy, about 10-12 minutes. Drain any extra liquid and keep aside.
In the meantime in a small frying pan, heat up the olive oil and add the cumin seeds, green onions and ginger. Stir and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and chili mixture to the lentil pan. Add the garam masala and cayenne pepper. Taste for salt. Add cilantro and serve.
