Jeera Dal (Indian Cumin-Spiced Lentil Soup)

jeera dal in the pan after cooking and adding the spiced oil

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Jeera Dal (Indian Cumin-Spiced Lentil Soup)

Jeera dal has an amazing flavor from just a handful of simple ingredients. While the dal simmers on the stovetop, you make a quick spiced oil with cumin seeds, chilli and garlic which amps up the flavor! (gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free)

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Main, Soup

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: cumin dal, jeera dal

Servings:

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Dal

3/4 cup split red lentils masoor dal
1/2 cup chopped tomato
1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups water or vegetable stock

For the Spiced Oil (Tadka)

1 tablespoon oil
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 hot green chili such as serrano or Indian chili, finely chopped, or use a milder chili of choice
2 cloves garlic finely chopped
pinch asafoetida hing, optional
1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder

Optional Add-in

2 tablespoons non-dairy yogurt

For Garnish

chopped cilantro
lime juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the dal.

Wash the lentils well to remove any dirt or excess starch, then drain them.
Add the lentils to a saucepan along with the chopped tomato, dried fenugreek leaves, turmeric, salt, and the water or vegetable stock. Partially cover the pan, and cook over medium heat until the lentils are cooked to your preference. This can take anywhere from 11 to 20 minutes. Stir occasionally, and check whether the pan is drying out too much. Add more water or stock, as needed.
Once the lentils are cooked, stir them briskly so they begin to break down and make the dal a bit creamy. How much you stir depends on the texture you prefer. If you like a traditional creamy dal, cook the lentils longer and stir until they break down almost completely. If you prefer more texture, stop cooking once the lentils are tender and mix lightly without completely breaking down the lentils.
For extra creaminess, stir in the non-dairy yogurt, cook for 1 minute, and then switch off the heat.

Meanwhile, make the tadka.

To make the spiced oil, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and cook until they have changed color significantly. This can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your pan and stove.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the garlic and green chili and cook for about 30 seconds, or until the garlic starts to turn golden. Add the asafoetida/hing, if using, and immediately switch off the heat. Then, stir in the Kashmiri chili powder.
Immediately pour the hot tadka over the dal. Lightly mix it in. You want some of the spiced oil to remain floating on top, because it makes the dal look beautiful, but you also want to stir some of it into the dal, so it adds all of those delicious flavors into the soup. Garnish with chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve immediately with rice, roti, or naan, alongside an Indian vegetable dish such as aloo gobi, aloo gobi matar, cabbage and peas, or an okra and onion stir-fry.

Video

Notes

How long you need to cook the lentils depends on your pan, stove, and preference. It also depends on how old the lentils are. Older lentils will take longer to soften.

This simple dal is naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free, as long as you omit the non-dairy yogurt or choose one that is soy-free and/or nut-free.

Nutrition