Masoor Dal

Name: Masoor Dal
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: juice of ½ lime; 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander/cilantro; 75 g/2½ oz tomatoes, chopped; 1 tsp salt, or to taste; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 200 g/7 oz/generous 1 cup masoor dal/split red lentils, rinsed, soaked and drained; 2 green chillies, chopped; 2 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 1 tsp Panch Phoran (store-bought); 125 g/4 oz onions, chopped; 3 tbsp mustard oil; ½ tsp brown mustard seeds; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 650 ml/22 fl oz/2¾ cups water

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Yatra

By Rohit Ghai

Published 2025

About

Bengali masoor dal is a simple but delicious lentil dish that will complement any Indian meal. During the summer season, Bengalis like to eat lentils almost every day, along with plain rice, because they are easy to digest.

Ingredients

200 g/7 oz/generous 1 cup masoor dal/split red lentils, rinsed, soaked and drained

Asia
India
West Bengal
Summer
Gluten-free
Vegan

Method

In a large pan (that has a lid), combine the drained soaked lentils and turmeric with the measured water. Bring to the boil, uncovered, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20–25 minutes until the lentils are soft.

Meanwhile, heat the mustard oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and panch phoran. When they start to crackle, add the chopped onions an