Best 18 Red Lentils Recipes

MASOOR DAL (SPICED RED LENTILS)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil, and sauté onion until softened. Add sweet potato, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add minced ginger and garlic; stir, and reduce heat to low.
• Finely dice chili, keeping seeds if you wish to add more heat. Add chili, lentils, coriander, cumin, turmeric and ground ginger to pan. Stir until lentils are well coated with oil. Add tomatoes and 4 cups water. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat until mixture is at a fast simmer. Cook uncovered until lentils and potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt, and continue to simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk dal to amalgamate lentils and sweet potatoes. If dal is too soupy, increase heat and cook for a little longer.
• To serve, place dal in a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. If desired, shave thin strips of fresh coconut on top. Serve hot.

RED CURRY LENTILS WITH SWEET POTATOES AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven or pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high. Add the sweet potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the browned sweet potatoes to a plate and set aside.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot and set the heat to medium-low. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the curry paste, garlic, ginger, chile and turmeric, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Add the lentils, stock, salt and browned sweet potatoes to the pot and bring to a boil over high. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Add the coconut milk and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced and the lentils are creamy and falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add the spinach and stir until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the lime juice and season with salt to taste.
• Divide among shallow bowls and top with cilantro and coconut flakes, if using.

RED LENTILS WITH RICE

Steps:

• Put the oil in a large skillet or flameproof casserole with a lid over medium-high heat; a minute later, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown on its edges, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder, then 3 cups water. Bring to a boil and add the lentils and rice. Bring back to a boil, then cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily.
• Cook until the rice and lentils are tender, about 20 minutes. Uncover and, if necessary, boil off excess water. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the butter if you're using it. When it has been incorporated, turn off the heat and serve.

RED SPLIT LENTILS (MASOOR DAL)

Steps:

• Rinse rice in several changes of water and transfer to a container. Cover with water and let soak at room temperature, 15 minutes to 1 hour. Drain.
• Combine 3 cups water with red lentils in a large pot over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, skimming any scum that collects on the surface. Stir in onion, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and turmeric. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until lentils are tender, about 30 minutes.
• Stir broccoli, tomatoes, peas, and salt into the pot. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until lentils are soft, about 30 minutes more.
• Combine drained rice with remaining 1 1/2 cup water in another pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to very low and simmer, covered with a tight-fitting lid, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.
• Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, ginger, and garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour over lentils; stir to distribute. Cook lentils until flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Serve lentils with rice.

CURRIED RED LENTILS

Steps:

• Rinse the lentils in cold water until the water runs clear.
• Add lentils and enough water to cover to a saucepan and simmer until the lentils are tender (about 30 minutes).
• Add water if necessary.
• While the lentils are cooking, caramelize the onions in the vegetable oil in a large skillet.
• Combine the curry paste, spices, garlic and ginger in a bowl.
• Mix well.
• When the onions are cooked, add the curry mixture to the pan.
• Cook over a high heat, stirring constantly for 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the tomat puree and reduce the heat to a simmer.
• Cook the curry base until the lentils are ready.
• When the lentils are tender, drain off any exceess water and add the lentils to the curry mixture.
• Combine thoroughly and serve immediately.

MESIR WAT (ETHIOPIAN RED LENTILS)

Steps:

• Puree onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor or blender.
• Heat oil, butter or niter kibbeh in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add turmeric, paprika and cayenne pepper and stir rapidly to color oil and cook spices through, about 30 seconds. Add onion puree and sauté on medium heat until excess moisture evaporates and onion loses its raw aroma, about 5-10 minutes. Do not burn.
• Add lentils and water. Bring to a boil and simmer till lentils are cooked through and fall apart, about 30-40 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep from drying out. This should be the consistency of a thick paste so that it can be scooped up with injera.
• Stir in salt and pepper to taste and serve.

COD WITH SPICED RED LENTILS

Steps:

• Put the lentils in a saucepan with the turmeric and stock. Bring to the boil, cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 20-25 minutes, until the lentils are just tender. Remove from the heat and add salt.
• Heat the oil in a small frying pan. Add the cumin seeds and, when they begin to pop, add the ginger and cayenne pepper. Stir-fry the spices for a few seconds, then pour on to the lentils. Add the lemon juice and the coriander and stir them gently into the mixture.
• Lay the pieces of cod on top of the lentils, cover the pan and then cook gently over a low heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the fish is tender.
• Serve garnished with chopped coriander leaves and one or two lemon wedges.

RED SPLIT LENTILS WITH CABBAGE (MASOOR DAL AUR BAND GOBI)

Steps:

• Pick over, wash, and drain the lentils.
• In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring the lentils and water to a boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the top. Stir in the turmeric. Cover pot, with lid slightly ajar, and simmer over low heat for 1 1/4 hours, stirring occasionally.
• While the lentils are cooking, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook for 3 to 4 seconds, then add the garlic. Once the garlic pieces start to brown, add the onion, cabbage and green chilies. Cook the cabbage mixture, stirring often, until it starts to brown. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt. Turn off the heat.
• After the lentils have cooked for 1 1/4 hours, add and stir in the tomato, the ginger, and 1 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Add the cabbage mixture. Stir to mix and allow to simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reheat the cabbage.

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE, RED ONION, AND LENTILS

Steps:

• Cook lentils in small saucepan of boiling water until tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Drain well; set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sausage; sauté until sausage is light brown, about 8 minutes. Add wine and cook until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Stir in cooked lentils and cook until mixture is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well, reserving 1cup pasta cooking water. Return cooked pasta to pot. Add sausage-lentil mixture, 3/4 cup cheese, and parsley and toss to coat. Add enough reserved pasta cooking water to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve, passing additional olive oil and grated cheese.

SPICE KISSED MASOOR DAL (SPLIT RED LENTILS)

Steps:

• In a medium sized pot over medium flame, add 1 tbsp peanut oil, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp ginger powder, and 1 tsp garam masala powder. Stir spices and oil together, allow to fry slightly (when you smell the spices releasing their fragrance you're done).
• Add the dal and water to cover (by an inch or so), turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Skim off foam that forms on top and discard. Cover and turn the heat to low. Allow to simmer until dal begins to fall apart and is cooked through. While cooking, monitor the water level. If it is too low, the dal will burn to the bottom of the pan, so add more water. If the water level is too high, uncover the pan so some will evaporate. When done, the dal should be a porridge consistency--not watery, but not burning to the bottom of the pot.
• Heat frozen green peas (I usually defrost in the microwave with a few tablespoons of water), drain excess water, and add to cooked dal.
• Taste dal and adjust salt. Since you have not salted the pan yet, you may need to add a few teaspoons to tablespoons of salt. Add slowly--you can always add more but it is hard to get rid of too much.
• Make the tadka: In a frying pan over medium heat add the butter, 1 tsp tumeric powder, 2 tsp garam masala powder, and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes. Fry lightly until spices release their fragrance. Add the onion and fry for another few minutes to the softness you desire. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for another 2 minutes. Add tadka mixture to dal mixture and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Serve Spice Kissed Masoor Dal over rice with yogurt, raita, red raw onions, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes or other fresh vegetables of your liking.
• To read about dal, visit the wikipedia page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal.
• To read about tadka, visit the wikipedia page at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaunk.

MASOOR DAL (RED LENTILS)

Steps:

• wash dal in a few changes of water, until the water runs clear.
• soak in cold water for about half hour
• drain.
• place in pot with water, salt, red chilli powder and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until dal is very tender.
• when dal is tender it should resemble a creamy soup (you might have to add more water if the its not creamy and cook for furtur 10 to 20 minutes).
• For the temper - heat oil in a frying pan add the garlic and fry until light brown , at this point add cumin and fry for few seconds and pour over the lentil and stir and cook for few minutes.
• cover and take off heat.
• serve hot.
• garnish with coriander and green chillies.
• Sprinkle a little garam masala on top.
• serve with boiled rice or chapatis.

RED LENTILS AND CHILI SAUCE WITH QUINOA

Steps:

• Combine quinoa with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil in uncovered pot.
• Cover lentils with water, then bring to boil and simmer about 10 minutes, partly covered, until lentils are soft but have not lost their shape.
• Chop whole onion; saute in hot oil in nonstick skillet.
• Cover quinoa, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes.
• With food processor on, put garlic through feed tube. Add to onion and continue cooking until onion is soft and beginning to brown.
• Chop carrots in food processor.
• Reduce heat under onions; stir in cumin, coriander and chili powder for about 20 seconds.
• Add tomato paste and stock to the onions and stir to blend. Stir in carrots; reduce heat and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.
• Wash, dry and chop cilantro.
• When lentils are cooked, drain well and stir into chili-carrot mixture. Season with salt, if desired.
• Arrange lentil mixture over quinoa; sprinkle with cilantro.

SAVORY RED LENTILS

Steps:

• Saute chopped onion and garlic for several.
• minutes.
• Rinse red lentils, and add with the rest of the ingredients.
• Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Uncover and cook for 5 minutes more. Add more water if needed.

BRAISED RED LENTILS WITH GREEN ONIONS AND DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add green onions and garlic, and saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add dried tomatoes and lentils; stir one minute. Add stock and bring to boil. Cover and simmer until lentils are cooked (about 5 minutes). Add goat cheese; stir. Serve.

MUM'S EVERYDAY RED LENTILS (AARTI SEQUEIRA)

Steps:

• Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse them under running water. Add them to a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chile, if using, and the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any scum from the surface. DO NOT ADD SALT YET; it will toughen the lentils, thereby lengthening their cooking time. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and gently simmer until the lentils are tender, almost translucent, and almost falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Whisk the lentils, releasing its natural starch, and mash some them so the mixture becomes thick. Add salt, to taste.
• Tempering oil (bagaar): In a small bowl, combine the cumin and mustard seeds. In another bowl, combine the spice powders. Have all the ingredients ready because this will move very fast!
• In a small skillet, over a medium-high flame, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add seeds and immediately cover so you don't get covered in spluttering oil and seeds! Add the spices. They should sizzle and bubble a little - that's the blooming and it's exactly what you want. Don't let them burn. The mixture should bloom for about 30 seconds, no more.
• Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, standing back so you don't get hurt when the mixture splutters again. Stir to combine. Transfer the lentils to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

REALLY EASY BACON AND RED ONION LENTILS

Steps:

• Fry the bacon and red onions in olive oil for about five minutes until the onion has become soft.
• Add the lentils to the pan and warm through.

MUM'S EVERYDAY RED LENTILS

Steps:

• Put the lentils in a strainer and rinse them under running water. Add them to a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of water, the onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chile, if using, and the lentils. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Skim any scum from the surface. DO NOT ADD SALT YET; it will toughen the lentils, thereby lengthening their cooking time. Lower the heat, cover the pot with a lid and gently simmer until the lentils are tender, almost translucent, and almost falling apart, about 30 to 40 minutes.
• Whisk the lentils, releasing its natural starch, and mash some them so the mixture becomes thick. Add salt, to taste.
• Tempering oil (bagaar): In a small bowl, combine the cumin and mustard seeds. In another bowl, combine the spice powders. Have all the ingredients ready because this will move very fast!
• In a small skillet, over a medium-high flame, warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Once the oil is shimmering, add seeds and immediately cover so you don't get covered in spluttering oil and seeds! Add the spices. They should sizzle and bubble a little - that's the blooming and it's exactly what you want. Don't let them burn. The mixture should bloom for about 30 seconds, no more.
• Pour the oil mixture into the lentils, standing back so you don't get hurt when the mixture splutters again. Add salt to taste. Stir to combine. Transfer the lentils to a serving dish and garnish with cilantro.

MISIR WOT (SPICY RED LENTILS)

Steps:

• Place the lentils in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Massage the lentils with your hands to remove any dirt or debris. Rinse the lentils a few times until the water runs clear. This may require several rinses. Soak the lentils in lukewarm water for approximately 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the onions and tomatoes to a large pot and cook over medium heat until beginning to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Make sure the onions do not get too dark. Add the berbere and continue to cook until the berbere is fully combined with the onion and tomato mixture, 2 to 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water and cook the tomato, onion and berbere mixture until it reduces and begins to stick to the pan, about 10 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the bottom of the pot to bring up the stuck tomatoes and onions. Add another 1 cup water and allow the mixture to reduce again for another 10 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pot. Add 1 cup water more, reduce again for 10 minutes then scrape the bottom of the pot (Adding and reducing 3 times will give your lentils a rich and layered flavor.) Be sure not to step away from the pot during this process. As Azla says, "Misir wot has jealous tendencies and wants your full, undivided attention from start to finish."
• Strain the soaked lentils in a colander and allow them to drain for a few minutes. Meanwhile, add 8 cups water to the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Add the lentils, reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and the lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Finish with the ground nutmeg and sea salt to taste. Serve with injera or your favorite whole grain.