Indian

Dal Bhat

Name: Dal Bhat
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 80 g basmati or other long-grain rice; 70 g red lentils (masoor dal); 350 ml water, for the dal; 150 ml water, for the rice; 1 pinch salt; 1 pinch salt; 0.25 tsp ground turmeric; 0.5 tsp salt; 1 tbsp ghee; 0.5 tsp cumin seeds; 0.1 tsp fenugreek seeds; 1 dried red chilli; 40 g onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 tsp fresh ginger; 60 g tomato; 1 tbsp coriander leaves; 1 wedge lemon

The everyday meal of Nepal: a soupy turmeric-yellow lentil dal finished with a sizzling ghee tempering, spooned over a mound of plain steamed rice and eaten with a squeeze of lemon.

Lunch & dinner Vegetarian 25g+ protein 8g+ fibre

40 min10 prep · 30 cookEasy728 kcalper serving

Method

Put 70 g of red lentils in a bowl, cover with cold water, rub them between your fingers and pour the cloudy water away. Repeat three or four times until the water runs almost clear, then drain well.
Tip the drained lentils into a saucepan with 350 ml of water, 0.25 tsp of turmeric and 1 pinch of salt. Bring to the boil over high heat, skim off the grey foam that rises, then lower to a bare simmer and cook partially covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils have completely collapsed. Whisk briskly for a few seconds to smooth the dal.
While the dal simmers, rinse 80 g of rice in two or three changes of cold water until it runs clear. Put it in a small heavy pan with 150 ml of water and 1 pinch of salt, bring to the boil uncovered, then clamp on the lid, drop to the lowest heat and steam for 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and leave it covered for 5 minutes, then fork the grains apart.