Split red lentils cooked until smooth with a tomato-onion-cumin tempering — the most commonly made daily dal across Uttar Pradesh eaten at lunch and dinner in tens of millions of households. Quicker to cook than toor dal, with a slightly earthier flavour.
Ingredients
1 cup masoor dal (split red lentil)
3 cups water, 1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp oil or ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 onion — finely chopped
1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp garlic paste
2 tomatoes — finely chopped
1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder
salt, coriander leaves
Method
Wash the masoor dal: Rinse 3 to 4 times. The water will run orange from the dal.
Cook the masoor dal: Masoor dal cooks very fast — no soaking needed. Pressure cook with 3 cups water and turmeric for 2 to 3 whistles. Or cook in a regular pot in 15 to 20 minutes. Mash smooth.
Heat oil or ghee: Heat 2 tbsp oil or ghee in a pan.
Cook onion: Add finely chopped onion. Cook 8 to 10 minutes until golden.
Add ginger and garlic: Cook 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes: Add chopped tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes until soft and oil separates.
Add spice powders: Turn low. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Stir 2 minutes.
Combine with dal: Pour the cooked, mashed masoor dal into the pan. Add salt. Simmer 5 minutes. Adjust consistency with water if too thick.
Serve: Scatter coriander. Serve with roti, rice or any bread.
Note: Masoor Dal is the most commonly eaten dal in the UP-Bihar-MP belt — its speed of cooking (no soaking, cooks in 15 minutes), availability and low cost make it the practical everyday choice for the majority of households in the region. The reddish-orange colour when cooked turns a warm yellow after tempering. Unlike toor or chana dal, masoor dissolves almost completely when cooked — creating a uniformly smooth, flowing dal without needing significant mashing.