Dahl — Red Lentil Soup with Tempering
“Dahl is the kind of food that looks simple and IS simple but somehow always tastes better than you expect. The tempering — hot oil with whole spices — poured over the top at the end wakes the whole thing up. I eat this with rice and a piece of flatbread and feel completely satisfied.”
What You’ll Need
- 300g red lentils, rinsed
- 1 litre water or light vegetable stock
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 can chopped tomatoes
- Salt to taste
- Juice of ½ lemon
- FOR TEMPERING: 2 tbsp ghee or oil, 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 2 dried red chillies, 5–6 curry leaves
- Fresh coriander to finish
Let’s Cook — Step by Step
- Step 1 — Combine lentils, water, onion, garlic, turmeric, and cumin powder in a pot. Bring to a boil.
- Step 2 — Skim any foam from the surface. Reduce heat, add tomatoes, and simmer partially covered for 25–30 minutes until lentils completely dissolve.
- Step 3 — Season with salt. Add lemon juice. Stir. The consistency should be like a thick soup — add water if it’s too thick.
- Step 4 — For the tempering: heat ghee in a small pan until shimmering. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and dried red chillies. When the mustard seeds start popping, add curry leaves. Stand back — they’ll spit.
- Step 5 — Pour the sizzling tempering directly over the dahl. Don’t stir — leave it on top.
- Step 6 — Scatter fresh coriander over everything. Bring to the table and stir at the last moment so everyone sees the tempering go in.
Kitchen Tip: The tempering must be done at the very last moment and poured over while everything is still sizzling.
Made with fresh ingredients & kitchen love ♥ — meozmedia.com
