Basic Lentil dal

This dish is a staple in my household, it’s made once a week or every 2 weeks as it’s a great side dish to have with whatever else you’re eating. My favourite way to eat the basic lentil dal is with some tuna fishcakes and rice, a true perfect pairing.

If you haven’t had red split lentils before, this is a great way to introduce them to your palate. It’s the easiest of the three dal recipes to make and doesn’t require many ingredients- that’s what makes it great too, it’s made of pantry staples which you should always have on hand!

Tip: This freezes really well so make a big portion and keep the leftovers in the freezer for whenever you want a quick meal.. don’t forget to portion the leftovers out before freezing.

Serves: 3-4 people

prep/cooking time: 35-40 minutes

Ingredients

1 medium onion, sliced thin

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tsp ginger, grated

1 bay leaf

2/3 cup red split lentils, rinsed until water runs clear

500ml water

oil, salt, pepper

Method

1. In a pot on medium high heat, add oil and sweat the onions until they soften and start to get some golden colour on them. Add garlic, ginger and bayleaf to the onions and cook for a few seconds, until the garlic starts to soften.

2. Add the cleaned lentils to the pot, stir to coat them in the aromatics, pour the water in and stir to mix everything. Bring the mixture to a boil, add a lid on, and turn the heat down to low, simmer for 30 mins.

3. After 30 minutes, remove the lid and let some of the liquid evaporate until the mixture becomes creamy. Season with salt and pepper, best served with rice.