This recipe is the ultimate Pakistani comfort food for me. It’s also super easy and delicious! I made it last night and put some parts of it on my instagram stories. I was asked for the recipe so I thought I’d share it here!
This is one of the first things I learned to cook from my mom. 🙂
Ingredeints:
-3 cups of water
-1 cup split red lentil
-5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
-1/4 tsp turmeric
-1 tsp salt (or more to your taste)
-1/2 tsp paprika
-1/4 tsp dried coriander powder
-1/2 tsp curry powder (optional)
-handful freshly chopped cilantro for garnish
For Tadka (oil infused seasoning):
-3 tbs oil
-1/2 medium size onion thinly sliced
-3 green onions chopped (optional)
-1 garlic clove
-1/4 tsp red crushed pepper
(image taken from my Instagram stories)
Instructions:
1. Rinse and soak the lentils for about 15 minutes.
2. Fill a pot of water (I usually eyeball it) with 3 cups of water, add the lentils and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. At this point, you may see froth/scum that will rise to the top. I usually take a spoon and discard it.
3. Then, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and add turmeric, salt, cayenne pepper and 4 cloves of garlic. Let them cook for about 40-50 minutes. Stir the daal regularly.
4. When you see the lentils are about to be cooked and turn creamy you can start to prepare the “tadka.”
5. For the “tadka”: in a frying pan, over medium heat, add oil, onions and garlic. Fry them until they are translucent and about to turn brown. (If some onions become brown, it’s okay. The browned onions also add another great flavor.) Stir occasionally. Then, add red crushed pepper and stir for another few seconds. Pour the “tadka” into the pot of daal and combine. Turn the heat off.
6. Top the daal off with freshly chopped cilantro and serve over rice.
Tips:
-If the water is dried before the lentils are cooked, add hot water to it.
-Add whole green chili peppers to the tadka for extra heat. (I’m a disgrace to Pakistanis everywhere and I can’t handle the heat, so I don’t put it in. But I do know it tastes great with it!)
-Eat this with achaar (Indian/Pakistani mango pickle) for some extra pzaaz.
Please share your photos with me on Instagram if you make this. I love to see what people do with my recipes. Tag me! @tayonthemove 🙂
6 Comments
Saved! This looks so good! I’ve never thought of making daal myself but now you changed my mind 😉
Yes, it’s supuer easy! I hope you’ll try it and let me know how it went! 🙂
Daal was also the first dish I learned to make from my mother! I loved this post and the bit about the achaar adding an extra pzaaz 😉
Lol! Thanks, it’s my fav comfort food!
So I have to admit I clicked on the link saw the pictures that made my mouth drool and saved the link for later use. Today when my parents asked for a side dish for our mother’s day meal I decided to make this (wish me luck!). Actually reading your post it’s so perfect that I am choosing to try out this recipe on mother’s day! Hope you enjoy today with your mama!
I’m so glad! Please let me know how it turns out, hope your mom likes it! 🙂