This lovely dal lends itself well to diced butternut squash in place of lentils. The kick of lime and smooth, creamy yogurt swirled on top add delicious tartness and visual eye appeal.
Tip: To make ghee, gently simmer butter in a saucepan until it begins to caramelize, which makes it nutty tasting and aromatic.
If you’re concerned about sodium, substitute water for vegetable broth, or use half broth and half water.
Sometimes it’s difficult to find seeds such as mustard or cumin. In such cases, the soup is made equally delicious by adding more ground cumin to the broth and a bit of Dijon and vinegar.
Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) unrefined virgin coconut oil or ghee
- 2 tsp (10 mL) cumin seeds
- 2 tsp (10 mL) black or brown mustard seeds
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) peeled and finely minced fresh ginger root
- 2 tsp (10 mL) turmeric
- 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin
- Sea salt
- 1 - 28 oz (796 mL) can diced tomatoes, drained
- 7 cups (1.75 L) low-sodium vegetable stock or water
- 2 cups (500 mL) dry red lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp (5 mL) fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) agave syrup
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) finely chopped fresh cilantro
- Thick Greek-style plain yogurt
Nutrition
Per serving:
- calories168
- protein10g
- fat2g
- saturated fat0g
- trans fat0g
- carbohydrates26g
- sugars4g
- fibre5g
- sodium295mg
Directions
01
Heat oil or ghee in large soup pot over medium heat. Add cumin and mustard seeds and sauteu0301 until they begin to pop, about 1 to 2 minutes.
02
Immediately add onion, ginger, turmeric, ground cumin, and pinch of salt. Stir together and sauteu0301 for about 3 minutes or until onion is soft. Add diced tomatoes and sauteu0301 for a minute. Add stock (or water) and stir in red lentils and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil.
03
Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until lentils are soft. Add salt to taste. Remove cinnamon stick and stir in lime juice and agave syrup.
04
Pureu0301e in batches until smooth, adding a little more stock if thinner soup is preferred. Serve with cilantro and a dollop of yogurt.
Irene McGuinness is a writer, recipe developer, food stylist for numerous magazines and corporations, and alumna of the Writer’s Studio at Simon Fraser University
