Yellow Dal (Indian Lentil Curry)

Yellow Dal (Indian Lentil Curry)

Lentils are the second highest in protein and are often a favorite for vegans and vegetarians alike.

Today’s lentil recipe is provided by our founder’s good friend Chef Smita Vasant who is also the owner of Saffron Spot in Artesia, CA.

Dal means any kind of split lentil. This particular recipe uses mung beans, but can be replaced with any other lentil.

Yellow Dal
Serves 4

Ingredients

1 cup mung beans soaked in water for at least 2 hours
1/4 inch sliced ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
*1 chopped Thai chili (can substitute for serrano or jalapeno)
salt
1 – 1 1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 cup oil
Chopped cilantro for garnish

Directions

Once the mung beans are done soaking, strain into a colander. Cook the mung beans in 3 cups of water for 20 minutes on medium-high heat.

Heat up a pan until hot. Add the oil. Now add the cumin seeds. The cumin seeds will pop to release flavor. Add the chopped chili, ginger, and tumeric. Pour all the boil lentils into the pan and get it to a boil. Add salt and browns sugar. Once it boils, scoop out into a small bowl and garnish with cilantro.

Brown sugar is added to cut down the bitter flavor of mung beans.

*If you are unable to stomach spicy, feel free to cut out the chili altogether.
*I know some people don’t like cilantro, so this can be omitted as well.

Thank you to Chef Smita for this delicious recipe. Enjoy!

+Saffron silk opened in 2001 and is an Indian Ice Cream store. Their store specializes in Asian flavors like mango, lychee, jackfruit, etc. Saffron silk’s most popular ice cream is the saffron silk which is saffron ice cream mingled with rose and pistachios. Sounds delicious, right?

For more information, check out their website at: http://www.saffronspot.com/

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