Spicy Yellow Lentil Stew (Malaysian Dal) Recipes

Ingredients :

1 cup (7 oz / 220g) dried yellow lentils 2 cups (16 fl oz / 500 ml) water 1/2 tsp ground turmeric 1 tsp plus 2 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil 1 tsp black mustard seeds 2 dried red chiles, cut up 1 yellow onion, sliced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 slices fresh ginger, peeled and minced 20 fresh or dried curry leaves 1 tsp garam masala 2 small tomatoes, quartered lengthwise 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste

Method : Pick over the lentils, discarding any misshapen lentils or stones. Rinse the lentils until the water runs clear, then drain. In a saucepan over high heat, combine the lentils, water, turmeric, and the 1 tsp ghee or oil. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until the lentils are soft and tender, about 30 minutes. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 tbsp ghee or oil. When hot, add the mustard seeds and fry until they turn gray, spatter, and pop, about 2 minutes. Add the chiles, onion, garlic, ginger, and curry leaves and saute until the onion is soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and tomatoes and cook for 1 minute. Pour the onion mixture into the pan of cooked lentils, add the salt, and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors. Transfer to a serving dish and serve. Serves 4 Note - In traditional Indian cooking, dal refers to any dried peas or beans and to the many dishes made from them. In Malaysia and Singapore, dal refers to a spicy stew made of yellow lentils (toovar dal) that typically accompanies Indian breads. The cooking time will vary with the age of the lentil.