Indian Red Lentil Dahl with Spiced Onions
Creamy red lentil dahl with sautéed spiced onions, tomato, and creamed corn. Lentils simmer until tender, then combine with a fragrant tempering of ghee, chilli oil, ginger, and onions. Finished with lemon juice and adjustable seasoning. Serve with rice and naan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils, rinsed
- 3 cups water, room temperature
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 1 Tbs ghee, organic
- dahl/lentil spice mix
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt flakes
- 1 teaspoon chilli oil, extra spicy, more if desired
- 1 tablespoon ginger root, finely minced
- 1 lb tomato, diced, canned
- ½ lemon, juice of
- 1 ¾ cups creamed corn, cannedregular corn1:1reduces creaminessdairy-free
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Instructions
- 1
Rinse red lentils and place in large saucepan with room temperature water.
- 2
Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, maintaining a gentle simmer.
- 3
Meanwhile, heat ghee in a medium skillet over medium heat.
- 4
Add spice mix and cook until fragrant, about 60 to 90 seconds.
- 5
Add onion, chilli oil, and ginger, sautéing until onions turn translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- 6
Add tomato and cook until softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- 7
Once lentils are cooked, drain excess water without removing it all.
- 8
Combine spiced onion mixture with lentils.
- 9
Add lemon juice and stir thoroughly.
- 10
Adjust salt to taste. Add water if too dry or simmer if too wet.
- 11
Garnish with cilantro and serve with basmati rice and naan.
Tips
Do not drain all liquid from lentils to maintain creamy consistency.
Adjust chilli oil to heat preference.
If final mixture is too thick, add water gradually; if too thin, simmer to reduce.
Good to Know
Refrigerate in airtight container up to 4 days. Freeze up to 3 months.
Prepare spice mixture up to 1 week ahead. Cook dahl completely and reheat gently before serving.
Serve hot with basmati rice and naan bread. Garnish with fresh cilantro.
Common Mistakes
Do not drain all lentil cooking liquid to avoid dry, mealy texture.
Do not skip the tempering step; cooking spices in ghee activates flavors.
Do not skip lemon juice to avoid flat taste.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
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