Degchi
Musurir Dal (Bengali Red Lentils)
Serves 4 · Total 35 min · Prep 10 min · Cook 25 min
Photo: aimee rivers / CC BY-SA 4.0
Red lentils boiled soft with turmeric, then finished with a quick tempering of panch phoron or cumin in mustard oil, poured sizzling over the top. Thinner than Pakistani daal and tangy with a squeeze of lime, this is on the table at almost every Bengali lunch.
Quick answer: 35 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Red lentils, Turmeric, Bengali five-spice blend, Green chilli · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 200 g 1 cup Red lentils
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Bengali five-spice blend
- 2 pc 2 pc Green chilli
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- to taste to taste Salt
- 3 clove 3 clove Garlic, sliced (Optional)
- 2 pc 2 pc Whole red chilli (Optional)
- 0.5 pc 0.5 pc Lemon (Optional)
Steps
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- Wash the lentils and boil with turmeric, salt and enough water until fully soft.⏱ Boiling the lentils · 20 min
- Whisk the cooked lentils lightly to a smooth consistency; add a little water if it is too thick, and simmer.⏱ Simmering · 3 min
- Check the consistency and add a little hot water if the dal looks too thick.
- In a small pan, heat the oil and add the panch phoron, garlic slices and whole red chilli; fry until the garlic is golden.⏱ Tempering · 2 min
- Pour the sizzling tempering over the dal.
- Add the green chillies and squeeze over a little lime juice before serving.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Musurir Dal (Bengali Red Lentils) take?
35 minutes in total: about 10 minutes of prep and 25 minutes of cooking.
Is Musurir Dal (Bengali Red Lentils) hard to make?
Degchi rates it easy. The method has 6 steps, and 3 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Musurir Dal (Bengali Red Lentils) serve?
This recipe serves 4. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Musurir Dal (Bengali Red Lentils) halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Musurir Dal (Bengali Red Lentils)?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: turmeric, cooking oil, salt. Spice-box items: bengali five-spice blend. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: green chilli. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: red lentils.
Any tips for making Musurir Dal (Bengali Red Lentils)?
Bengali dal is kept thinner than Pakistani daal — add water until it pours easily off a spoon.
Notes and questions
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Cooking terms in this recipe: Daal
