Red lentil curry with coriander - Masoor Dal

Recipe for a typical Indian red lentil curry - spicy and easy to prepare

Dal is the generic term used for all lentils and lentil dishes in India. It is served together with rice and a typical daily food. Masoor Dal, halved and peeled red lentils, have a short cooking time and are easily digestible. After cooking, they have a yellow colour.

Ingredients (for 4 persons)

200 g red lentils (Masoor Dal, peeled and halved red lentils)
1 tomato
4 cm fresh ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
½  bunch of fresh coriander
3 tbsp ghee (substitute butterfat)
5 curry leaves (or a bay leaf)
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp chili powder
2 tsp coriander, ground
1 pinch Asafoetida *
salt

Preparation

Rinse the lenses in a sieve thoroughly under cold water. Peel and rub the ginger. Wash the coriander, remove the stalks and finely chop the leaves. Clean the tomato and chop into small pieces.
Place the lentils in ½ liter of water and bring them to a boil. Season with ginger, turmeric and plenty of salt. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes at low to medium heat until the lentils are soft and then remove the pot from the oven.
Heat the ghee in a small frying pan. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves, curry leaves, chili powder asafoetida and coriander, and stir-fry on medium heat for approx. 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and fry again for a few minutes until the tomatoes become soft. Then add this spice-tomato paste to the lentils and mix well.
Place the lentils in a serving bowl, stir in a portion of the fresh coriander and garnish with the rest.
Traditionally, in India this dish is served with steamed rice.

* Asafoetida is an Indian spice which is extracted from the roots of the asant plant. It has an intense, slightly bitter and sharp taste and a strong garlic aroma.

Image source:  Fotolia - #95113655 © annapustynnikova