Sabji dewa Musur Dal (Red lentil curry with veggies)

Bengalis love their dal. A lunch is never quite complete without a good hearty dal, typically masoor (red lentils) or moong (yellow lentils), accompanied by fried papad (yes, we rarely have it roasted) and a generous squeeze of lemon.

Red lentils are cooked in a myriad of ways. Usually non-elaborate and beguilingly simple. The fundamentals are always quite the same – pressure cook the soaked dal with a touch of turmeric, a sprinkle of salt and the heat of couple of fiery green chillies.

In its earthy incarnation, you just mash the pressure cooked dal and serve it with a dollop of ghee or a drizzle of mustard oil, spiked with green chillies and maybe a chopped red onion. Or you could temper the dal and the options are endless. Just a caress of whole cumin seeds. Or a punch of paanchforon. Or onions, chopped fine and fried to a gorgeous golden brown.

Here I cook the red lentils with vegetables, a kiss of cumin and coriander and the fire of chillies, inspired by the delectable Middle Eastern red lentil stew, again a family favorite of ours.

 

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Sabji dewa Musur dal (Red lentil curry with veggies)

Red lentils with vegetables, a kiss of cumin and coriander and the fire of chillies, inspired by the delectable Middle Eastern red lentil stew.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Bengali

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup masoor dal or musur dal or red lentils soaked in water for about an hr
• 1/4 cup carrot diced
• 1/4 cup peas
• 1/4 cup cauliflower small florets
• 1/4 cup french beans diced
• 2 tomatoes finely chopped
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 - 3 green chillies slit
• 1/4 cup corinader leaves chopped
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 2-3 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Pressure cook the soaked dal with 2 cups of water, a sprinkle of salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and 2 green chillies.
• Blanch the carrots, french bean and cauliflower florets. Keep aside.
• Heat the mustard oil, temper with whole cumin seeds and dry red chilies.
• When the cumin seeds start spluttering, add the onion and garlic and fry till the onion is lightly browned. Add the tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes on a moderate flame.
• Add the turmeric powder, cumin powder and coriander powder and saute for a minute.
• Add the pressure cooked dal, blanched vegetables and peas. Simmer gently for 5-6 minutes.
• Add sugar and salt to taste. Serve hot with rice.

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