How to make: Spinach Masoor Daal with Basmati Rice

September 1, 2017

The Daal’s story:

Ah! It’s that time of the year again when you yearn for a bowl of hot daal soup – a comfort food. Trust me this meal won’t take more than 30 min of your day, even if you do not use ready garlic paste, ginger paste, and the Tomato puree out of the box. How can I be so sure, I timed it!

Growing up I never ate the Red Lentils, I discovered it when I moved to Toronto, and I wanted the lentil which can cook quickly and easy on the stomach.

Masoor Daal and Basmati Rice

Clove Infused Basmati Rice Ingredients:

1/2 cup Basmati Rice
2 – 3 Cloves
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 cups of Water

Spinach Masoor Daal Ingredients: Feeds 2 people

1/2 cup Masoor (Red Lentils)
1 – 2 cups Baby Spinach
1/2 Lime juice
3 cups of Water

Wash and soak masoor (Red Lentils))

Clove Infused Basmati Rice

Tip: Soak the masoor daal and basmati rice if you have time for 10-15 min max. Not must. It speeds the cooking time.

Gadgets Required:

Knife
Cutting board (optional)
Chopper (optional)
Pressure cooker or A heavy base pot for Daal
Rice cooker or a heavy base pot for Rice
2 Big Spoons
Sieve
2 Big Bowls to wash Rice and Daal

Turmeric, Asafoetida – Spices for Daal

Cumin, Mustard, Star Anise, Turmeric, Coriander and Cumin powder

Cloves for Basmati Rice, Dried Curry leaves

Tadka

Daal Spices:

3 Tsp Olive oil; But you can use any
1/4 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 Tsp Cumin seeds
1/4 Tsp Asafoetida powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1 Star Anise
1 Dry chilli
1 Tbsp Raw peanuts (optional) – I always use peanuts for the daal, but I ran out of it.
5-6 curry leaves (fresh if available – optional)
1/4 Tsp Red chilli powder
1/4 Tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (optional)
1/4 Tsp Methiya masala (optional) – unique blend of spices made for Indian Pickles
2-3 Tsp Coriander and Cumin powder
1/4 Tsp Green Chilli and Ginger paste
Salt to taste

Tip: Don’t be overwheld with the number of spices used, use what you have on hand and it will be delish. I promise.

Onion, Garlic, Ginger, Lime, Tomato

Onion, Garlic, and Ginger

Chopped Onion, Garlic, and Ginger

Cubed Tomatoes

Pureed Tomato

Daal Base Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tomatoes pureed
1/2 Onion
1 inch Ginger piece
One Garlic clove

Tip: Feel free to use ready Garlic paste, Ginger paste and Tomato paste to speed the cooking time.

Onion Saute

Add Tomato puree to the Onion Saute

Cook the tomato puree with Onion Saute

Prepare Masoor Daal:

Masoor Daal (Red Lentils): Wash the lentils under running water until the water runs clear, and soak for 10-15 min; while you prepare the onion and tomato base.

Prepare Rice grains:

Basmati Rice: Wash the rice grains until the water runs clear; soak for 10-15 min if possible.
In a heavy bottom pot, add the 1/2 cup of rice, 2 cups of water and salt with a couple of cloves.
Cook the rice over medium heat until fluffed and cooked.
Drain the excess water by using the sieve and run the cold water thru it.

Clove Infused Basmati Rice

Baby Spinach

Prepare Baby Spinach:

Wash the baby Spinach with cold water
Roughly chop the spinach leaves

Daal Tadka or base steps:

Heat the 3 Tsp of oil in the heavy bottom pot or the pressure cooker.
Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds and let it pop.
Add Asafoetida, Turmeric, Curry leaves, Star Anise, dry Chilli and the Raw peanuts.
Saute the chopped Onion, Garlic and Ginger by adding to the Tadka.
As the onion turns translucent add the Tomato puree to it and let it cook.
Add the red chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder, Mathiya masala powder and Kashmiri powder to the mixture and cook for a min to awaken the spices.
To the above-prepared base add the pre washed and soaked Masoor daal and the 3 cups of water along with the salt to taste.
Let it cook for 20 minutes in a pot or pressure cooker it for the 3-4 whistles.
Cook the lentils thoroughly and add the chopped spinach to the hot pot of daal. The raw spinach will wilt just enough.

Tip: Add Spinach just before sitting for dinner; to avoid over wilting of the spinach.

Add Chopped Spinach to the Daal

Dried Red Chillies

Lime and Spinach

Star Anise and Green Chillies

Spinach Masoor Daal with Clove Infused Basmati Rice

Just the wholesome meal I turn to when I want to satisfy my taste buds and appetite with all the tingling spices. Serve it hot; Garnish it with some lime juice.

So far who ever I have fed this Daal, they have become the fan of the recipe.

You can be creative and add lot more veggies to the lentils, like following: