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My infatuation with vegetarian Indian cuisine continues. Tadka dal combines masoor dal (red or pink hulled lentils) with a hell of a lot of onions and spices. It doesn't quite sound like enough to make a satisfying meal, but the result is a creamy, slightly spicy stew that is astonishingly good and hard to keep from downing in just one sitting.
I found this recipe in Saveur, and my only worry was finding the right kind of lentils. I finally tracked them down in the bulk section of Whole Foods. My only previous experience with lentils has been with the green variety, which can make a mean soup when paired with pork. But I've never explored their use in Indian cuisine. It's the star of this dish, and it breaks down after 20 minutes into a fragrant, luscious puree.
The only animal product to come close to this guy is butter—lots of it. Like a whole stick. Of course, you'll need to turn that into ghee, and here is a great recipe for doing so. It does take a little time, but it is relatively painless. I've also seen ghee sold in enormous plastic bottles at a local grocery store if you can't be bothered, but I don't really see the point. You could also safely just use butter, but it certainly won't taste as gloriously nutty and fragrant.
Recipe Facts
Ingredients
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One 2-inch piece ginger, peeled, sliced
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6 cloves garlic, crushed
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1/2 cup ghee
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2 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
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1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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1 tablespoon ground coriander
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2 teaspoons ground cumin
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2 teaspoons turmeric
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1 1/2 cups masoor dal (hulled red lentils)
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Salt
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2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
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1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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2 Thai green chiles, stemmed and sliced
Directions
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Add the ginger, garlic, and 1/4 cup of water to a blender and process until smooth.
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Pour half of the ghee into a large pot set over medium-high heat. Dump in the onions and cook, stirring often, until they are well browned, about 20 minutes.
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Pour in the garlic and ginger puree along with the cayenne, coriander, ground cumin, and turmeric. Cook until the water has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
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Pour in 4 cups of water along with the lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Add the rest of the ghee to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toss in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and chiles. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes. Ladle some of the lentils into a bowl and pour some of the ghee and chile mixture on top.
Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
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875 | Calories |
57g | Fat |
75g | Carbs |
25g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 2 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 875 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 57g | 73% |
Saturated Fat 33g | 163% |
Cholesterol 131mg | 44% |
Sodium 1158mg | 50% |
Total Carbohydrate 75g | 27% |
Dietary Fiber 23g | 84% |
Total Sugars 14g | |
Protein 25g | |
Vitamin C 26mg | 131% |
Calcium 179mg | 14% |
Iron 13mg | 72% |
Potassium 1490mg | 32% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |