Healthy Masoor Dal Recipe, all from scratch and ready within minutes!
This easy dal recipe is a one-pot vegan Indian main course meal.
The lentils are briefly soaked and the recipe doesn't require a pressure cooker.
What is masoor dal?
Masoor Dal is an Indian curry prepared with orange-red split lentil, which are also called masoor dal (मसूर दाल).
Dal is hindi and means lentil. Sometimes it's spelled as daal or dahl.
When cooked, the split lentils turn yellow but they are orange-red when dried.
Brown Masoor dal lentils are the unpeeled and unsplit orange-red masoor dal lentils.
The red split lentils cook faster because they hardly need soaking and cooking time to get soft as they have been peeled and reduced in size.
In India, masoor dal can appear in various forms on menu cards. I.e Dal tadka. Several variations of this dish exist between regions.
How to make masoor dal?
This plant-based red lentil dal is a goan recipe variations and it's prepared in one pot over the stovetop.
Here are the basic steps outlined to make it from scratch. That should help you decide if you want to make it tonight!
Complete recipe card with details is located at the bottom of this post.
Step 1
Soak lentils for 20 mins to speed up cooking time.
Prep onion, tomato and green chili. Keep spices ready.
Step 2
Sautee spices and vegetables and add soaked lentils.
Cover with broth.
Step 3
Cook lentils over medium heat until they are soft and you are satisfied with the consistency and flavor intensity.
Serving
We love our spicy lentils with cooked rice or flatbread in a bowl.
Masoor dal curry can also be part of a thali.
A thali is a platter consisting of various small quantities of dishes.
That may include rice, a curry, different cooked vegetables (called sabzi, bhaji or other names) and curds to just name a few.
In Goa they even add fried fish to a thali or pickled fish (called para). In fact, masoor dal is best served over cooked rice and with some pickled fish.
Storing
I like to prepare a larger quantity, which I then batch into smaller quantities and freeze in freezer-friendly containers.
Masoor dal tastes even better days later when you warm it up again! Making it a great leftover dish.
Keep leftovers in a fridge friendly container for up to 4 days.
To reheat fridge cold or frozen dal, place into a pot and keep over a slow heat setting. Stir occassionaly and serve hot.
FAQs
Yes! Masoor dal split (red/orange lentils) are easily digested and these lentils contain less fiber than other lentil varieties which makes them easier to digest. Perfect for Babies older than 9 months. Reduce the spices and omit the chili and puree the red lentils for baby consumption. Indian babies are given spicy food too, so you can try feeding your baby with a very small amount of spice such as turmeric and coriander.
No, you can not eat uncooked raw lentils, except if the lentils have sprouted. Raw lentils are like raw potatoes when eaten raw, they need to be cooked because we can't digest them.
Split Pigeon Peas (toor dal) and Khesari Dal are yellow and resemble masoor dal. Masoor dal is always orange-red in stores.
More Recipes like that
- Aloo Gobi - Potato Cauliflower Curry
- Snake Gourd Stir Fry - Great to add to your thali
- Chapati flatbread
The post, Masoor Dal was first published under Goan Dal Curry on the 12th August 2011 and has been updated and enhanced ever since.
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Masoor Dal Recipe
Ingredients
For the masoor dal
- ¾ cup Red Lentils aka Masoor Dal
- 1 medium Onion sliced
- 1 Tomato diced
- 1 Green Chili Pepper fresh, chopped
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Brown Mustard Seeds
- 1-2 Tablespoons Tomato Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon Ginger + Garlic *see Notes
- 4 Curry Leaves fresh if possible or dried otherwise
- 1 Teaspoon Turmeric Ground
- ½ Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper ground
- pinch Salt
- 3 cups Vegetable Stock
To garnish
- Cilantro aka Coriander, fresh chopped
Instructions
- Cover masoor lentils with water and soak for 20-25 minutes.
- Prep vegetables. Slice onion, dice tomato and chop green chili pepper.
- Keep spices ready at the side.
- Heat up a pan with olive oil, temper mustard seeds for 1 minute or until you can smell the nutty aroma. (mustard seeds will pop up so be careful and control the heat/use a lid)
- Sautee onion, tomato and green chili pepper.
- Strain soaked lentils. Keep a slow heat setting and stir soaked lentils and tomato sauce to the pot.
- Season with curry leaves ginger+garlic, turmeric powder, cayenne pepper powder, and salt.
- Pour stock over the lentils and increase heat setting to medium-high. Stir to combine ingredients.
- Cook on medium to high heat for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally so that nothing burns on. If you feel your masoor dal needs more water, then just add a little more to adjust the curry consistency (sometimes depends on the quality and age of the lentils).
- The dish is ready when the lentils are cooked, but not mushy.
- Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro (Coriander)
Notes
- For the Ginger + Garlic, use ginger garlic paste or chop ⅓ ginger and ⅔ garlic fine.
- You need to use black mustard seeds (never the yellow mustard seeds) and add curry leaves (and not curry powder as it's something completely different). Don't omit these ingredients, they make this curry amazing!
- You may adjust the cayenne pepper heat.
Only 1 person in all the comments has actually cooked this dish!!!
How on earth can you give a 5 star rating when you have never cooked or even tasted the food?!
Hi Andy,
When the star rating came out a few years ago, folks liked to rate and I wouldn't stop them, because it's a personal choice.
Over time I have been going through thousands of comments on this website to remove ratings that were not justified. This website has been around since 2011 and this is one of the earliest recipes that I shared.
I understand your frustration and I do agree with your point of view. We shouldn't forget that others see it differently and this space has always been open towards multiple point of views and how they use their stars. I hope you understand. If you get a chance to try the recipe, I invite you to leave us a star rating. It would most definitely help others in their quest to find delicious food. Besides, readers like to take a picture of the dish and share it on the pin on Pinterest.
The first blog posts in my blog, way back in 2007, had very bad pictures too 🙂
Dal looks very delicious and easy to prepare too. Will try sometime and let you know 🙂
I haven't soaked red lentils either but I'm going to try it when I follow your recipe.
Are you back in Goa??
Happy New Year!
Love red lentils! I'm with Eva -- I rarely soak mine, either. But I should try it, and see if it makes a difference. Happy New Year!
It's strange that you need to soak the lentils, ours cook up very quickly. I adore the creamy texture of lentils and the spices in this curry sound amazing.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2017.
Hello! I just made this along with your red spinach stir fry (but wth normal spinach) and they were both DELICIOUS! There were many moans of appreciation from the husband too. I just wanted to say thanks for a wonderful meal - I am looking forward to exploring some more of your recipes!
Glad to know that you and your family enjoyed the dal dish. 🙂
Yeah I know but I strive for perfection 🙂
Thank you so much your support has been a driving factor and has me motivated to do more
Hi Helene, sorry I've been a bit absent recently - so much to do to prepare to move!
I really love the look of this - it totally looks just like something you'd see in a restaurant, especially in that delightful little bowl! Isn't it amazing how serving bowls can really make a difference?
I love lentils in any format - curried though has to be my all time favourite though - I love the texture and "mouthfeel" they take on!
You are perfect, you don't have to strive for it.
I enjoy every recipe you post. On my last comment I posted,
I meant to say "Bless your heart" .
Take care,
Mary M
thank you Mary <3
For me, lentils are comfort food and your delicious preparation sounds yummy 🙂
I see it the same way =)
Thank you!
A good dal dish is always lovely. Hm, it's only quite difficult to get fresh curry leaves around here. I suppose the dried ones are no good.
Hi Chris!
I was told by everyone in Goa that dried curry leafs are not good for dals. But I say if you have no other choice then just go for the dried curry leafs. I know how difficult it can be to find fresh curry leafs in the western world and I have used dried ones at my parents house before. The dal turns out differently if you keep the curry leafs completely out, in fact it takes away the essence of the dal flavors, so it's required anyhow.
I was looking at my first posts today and thinking that I needed to retake a few of the pictures, and yes, the writing style does change. 🙂 No, I have never had Doan Dal. The story behind it is quite interesting and love the looks of it! Reading through the recipe, I can see it's got lots and lots of flavor with all of the spices. Nice post Helene!
Actually you Mj gave me the idea of fixing some old posts. ^.^
Oh I believe you would love the dal, I mean it's your kind of food choice no?
Hi Helene!
I remember when you first starting blogging, Helene. Although your blog has grown, it was never one to apologize for. Now, mine on the other hand, whoo, whoo, it hasn't even gotten that much better. I still talk too much, lol...As a matter of fact, the month of October is my Blogoversary! (we're having a pasta party to celebrate:)
Now, that Lentil Curry looks simply amazing! Your recipes have always intrigued me from beginning to end and when it comes to being a food blogger, isn't that all that really matters:) Thank you so much for sharing, Helene...
There really is nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to our old posts and photos. I think they're great because we can compare to the new ones and see our improvements.:) Your recipe still sounds scrumptious! Thanks for sharing, again, Helene.
We have had that talk in the past, I remember Nancy. You have a good point, at least I feel better when I think how much i have grown and what I have achieved. Thank you so much for your comforting words Nancy. =)
I have some split fava beans. Do you think these might work with this recipe?
hmm I am not sure since I haven't much cooked with Fava beans. If you know how long to soak them maybe you could give it a go no? But he flavors will be different so you might have to adjust and the whole recipe will be a new one. Let me know how it went. 😉
G'day! Your Goan Dhal recipe and photo looks lovely, true!
Nice and warming, welcoming and a winter comfort food...love dhal too!
Cheers! Joanne
Well the dal has for sure some autumn shades. =D Thank you Joanne for your lovely comment.
I have cooked dhal for decades and am glad to have your Goan version as it is slightly different and will be trialled soon. I'll shock you a tad: since I have not used butter [nor poisonous margarine] for a very long time, I actually cook the dhal to a slightly thicker consistency, place it in small ramekins, freeze and use one at a time for a substitute of butter on toast, pita, wraps etc. As long as flavoured a little more than for the hot version, it is absolutely delightful as fusion food 🙂 !
You know this is not going to shock my after what I have seen here at times. Dall is often made into a paste so to be used for fillings which btw is super delicious. In fact you have just given me an idea Eha. Thank you!
I have never tried Goan Dal, but this recipe is going to change that...quickly!
Welcome and enjoy Betsy! 😉
I love dal... it's my favorite dish to eat with rice. 🙂 My kids love it too. 🙂 This was yummy. 🙂
It's so alluring too no Ramona? I think all kids would love this.
This dal looks delicious, and it would be awesome to not have normal 'black dal' everyday 😛
Cheers
CCU
Ha, I thought the same thing when my mum would make the dark dal every Saturday for lunch. ^.^ The orange one is such a lovely lunch pickup.
I can't wait to try this out! Dal is definitely a favorite at our house, and we're always looking for a new one to add to the rotation. 🙂 Hooray!
Enjoy Eileen! I like it with something spicy and sour at the side, such as a pickle. 🙂
I eat lentils all the time, yet I never made a dal recipe. This one goes straight to my to-do list Helene! (so you know, your pics can't be pinned)
Thanks for letting me know Paula.
Not sure what the problem could be with the pin it button on the pictures not working at times. I noticed that it did work earlier for me and somebody else but I had the same problem in the past. Not sure if that works but, if it happens to anybody, just clear your browser cache, that should fix it. Also you could use the social shares underneath each post. There you will find another pin it button where you can choose the picture to pin. Otherwise please let me know if there are any more problems happening in the website experience. Thank you!
I cringe when I look back at those early posts! And I'll probably cringe in a few years (although not as much) when I look back at what I'm doing now — the more one writes or photographs, the better one becomes. Anyway, the recipe is perfection! No need to improve on that, it's wonderful as is. Thanks for this.
Well I think the same way. Most probably I will be looking down at my current posts and feel ashamed, haha! We should remember this and compare later.
I love daal of any kind and Goan version although I have never had it - looks truly delicious.
Welcome and Thank you for sharing Dixya
The lentil looks super delicious and comforting!
You will love it Angie. 🙂
Don't worry, I also dislike the way I wrote and expressed myself before... 😉
That lentil curry looks wonderful and mouthwatering! The kind of dish I love to eat and make.
Cheers,
Rosa
So glad to know I am not the only one feeling this way Rosa. Thanks 😉