Recipe: Quick and Healthy Dal

This Quick and Healthy Dal is a simplified spin on a traditional Indian dish: Dal Makhani.  A common hack for lightening a creamy dish like dal is to blend some of the mixture to thicken it instead of using butter and cream. Warming ground spices (instead of toasting whole seeds) enhances the aromatic properties.  Although whole seeds may offer more robust flavor, omitting the butter and cream means not diluting the bold taste of the warmed ground spices.  Adjustments like these make a restaurant favorite more accessible in the home kitchen.

One serving of this dal yields 20 grams of plant protein, but lentils are also high in starch.  We have pairing tips for a nourishing, Plate Method meal.  If you’re enjoying this as a plant-based entrée, pair it with a small serving of rice, quinoa, or naan and non-starchy veggies.  Alternatively, serve dal as a high-fiber starch paired with the protein of your choosing (such as steamed fish or baked chicken) and non-starchy veggies.

Quick and Healthy Dal

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil or avocado oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced (or 1 tsp dry ground ginger)
• 1 medium jalapeño, seeds removed
• 1 1/2 tsp curry powder (see Tip below)
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp freshly cracked pepper
• 15 ounces finely diced tomatoes, with their juices
• 1 C uncooked black lentils (beluga lentils)
• 15 ounces red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 5 C water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• For serving: cooked quinoa, basmati rice, or naan bread
• For topping: lime juice, fresh cilantro, heavy cream or coconut milk

Directions

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, warm the oil until it is thinned and shimmering when swirled in the pan.  Add the onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño.  Cook until softened, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in the curry powder, cumin, and coriander.  Season with black pepper.  Continue cooking, stirring gently for 1 minute, to warm the spices until they are fragrant.
3. Add the tomatoes and stir, cooking for 1 minute.  Add the lentils, kidney beans, water, bay leaves, and salt.  Raise the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a simmer.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the lentils are tender, stirring occasionally, for about 35 minutes.  The mixture will thicken as the lentils absorb the water.
5. Remove the bay leaves.  Transfer about 2 cups of the lentil mixture to a blender cup.  Securely fasten the lid and blend for 1 minute, or until smooth.  When opening, be careful of trapped steam escaping, which may cause hot contents to splatter.
6. Transfer the blended mixture back to the pot and stir to combine.  Season to taste with more salt and pepper.
7. To mellow the flavor, stir in a bit of heavy cream or coconut milk.
8. Divide between 4 bowls, add the toppings of your choosing, and serve with selected pairings.

Tip: For a more classic dal makhani, replace curry powder with garam masala.

Recipe adapted from: Cookie and Kate’s Quick Dal Makhani