All vegetarian delicious dish, easy and quick dish.
There are at least 15 different Dahl in India, I have watched countless YouTube clips and read countless recipes, this is my version of Indian Dahl with lentils. In normal cases you use red or yellow lentils, here I have chosen to do it with green lentils that I happened to have at home.
This is quite simple and easy to make food that is a good complement to all meat! You can find pre-cooked lentils in most grocery stores, use these semi-manufactured products if you feel for it, otherwise it is not difficult to cook lentils.
The green lentils that I used took about 30 minutes to cook, but it is really different when it comes to cooking time, check the instructions on the package. You do not need to use tomato puree but it contributes to a little thicker sauce and also adds a little extra color to the whole dish. furthermore, I use Sambal Oelek instead of chili or chili flakes, use some kind of heat, it does not matter what really.
You should preferably soak lentils and other beans overnight, but if you do not, it is not a major disaster, it will only take longer to cook the lentils.
4 portions
Lentils
100 grams of lentils
Water
Half of a yellow onion
2 stalks of celery
1 Carrot
salt
One vegetable bouillon
The Dahl
500 grams of baby spinach – chopped
1 well chopped yellow onion
100 grams lentils
Spices:
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp ground cumin
4 cloves of garlic (pressed)
1 tablespoon pressed lemon
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
0.5 tsp sambal oelek
1/5 of a teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 – 3 tablespoons tomato puree (optional)
2 tbsp concentrated stock (vegetarian or chicken)
2.5 dl cream (1 cup) you can also use coconut cream,
Method:
- Wash and soak the lentils in water overnight or a few hours (2 – 3 hours) before you start cooking.
- Cook the lentils until they are almost soft in lightly salted water together with a vegetarian bouillon. I use a whole carrot, 2 stalks of celery and a whole onion when I cook the lentils. Set aside. Do not discard the water that you have cooked then lentils in, it can be used to dilute the sauce.
- Fry the onion in a frying pan for 5 – 7 minutes.
- Add the grated ginger and pressed garlic after 5 minutes, stir.
- Add half of the spice mixture and mix well.
- Add the lemon juice.
- Add about 2 dl (3/4 of a cup) of water and lower the heat and let it simmer without the lid for about 5 – 10 minutes. It is good if you can use the liquid that you have cooked your lentils in.
- After 10 minutes add a little more water, allow it to simmer briefly (1 – 2 minutes).
- Add the lentils and stir so that everything is very well mixed.
- Now, add the chopped spinach a little at a time. Stir and wait until the spinach decreases in volume before adding more spinach. Repeat the procedure a few times until you have used all the spinach.
- Season with the rest of the spice mixture.
- Pour over the cream (or coconut cream) and mix well.
- Add the tomato puree (optional)
Taste and correct seasoning. Serve with basmati rice. So delicious!
Enjoy!
Sambal Oelek
