Masoor Ki Daal Recipe

Among the Indian  lentil dishes I've learned from my husband's late grandmother, this "dry" daal dish, called "masoor ki daal", is by far the easiest and fastest to prepare for the family. No soaking is needed and it cooks in no time. The only trick to this dish is not to overcook the lentils because they will get mushy very quickly if you don't keep an eye on them.

The coral-colored, skinless lentils are sautéed with ginger garlic paste and chiles. Once masoor dal is cooked, the lentils turn a pretty yellow color. The last step is pairing the lentil dish with homemade roti (Indian flat bread) for a complete, nutritious meal.

Mash Ki Daal (Dry Urad Dal Recipe)

Daddy, my father-in-law, needs his daal ("lentil" in Urdu) fix daily. We usually make the wet, soupy version, which he considers tastier because of baghar (common red chili oil layer). But every now and then, Daddy asks for sukhi mash ki daal. "Sukhi" is in reference to a dry lentil preparation. I used urad dal and cooked the lentils with caramelized onions, fresh chiles, garlic, ginger and cumin seeds.

Urad dal is a great source of protein and iron and it's pretty low in calories. The caramelized onions provide the extra oomph of natural sweetness and are balanced with a little kick from the freshly grated ginger. The result is as tasty, healthier version of an Indian staple. We usually make mash ki daal with freshly homemade roti (Indian flat bread). Daddy often likes to spread a little bit ghee (clarified butter) when my mother-in-law's not watching!

If you have leftover lentils, you can add grilled vegetables the following day. It makes a great salad for a light lunch.