Dahl, also known as daal, dail, dal or dhall is a lentil soup or more generally a soup of dried legumes typical of Indian cuisine, commonly accompanied by rice or chapati, the typical Indian bread.
In India, this lentil soup is also known as the ‘poor man’s meat’, as it is a simple, yet very tasty dish that is easy to prepare and cook and is particularly rich in protein and fiber.
Dahl is very popular in traditional Indian cuisine, much like pasta in Italy, and is one of the most economical and healthy ways to feed the whole family.
This warm and spiced lentil soup is ideal for the winter season and represents a complete meal. By completing the meal with a side of vegetables, lunch or dinner is served!
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Indian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 255.09 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 35.20 (g) of which sugars 1.24 (g)
- Proteins 10.70 (g)
- Fat 8.06 (g) of which saturated 4.31 (g)of which unsaturated 3.11 (g)
- Fibers 4.85 (g)
- Sodium 1,545.08 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Lentil Dahl with Rice
- 1 1/4 cups hulled red lentils
- 3/4 cup Basmati rice
- 2 tbsps butter
- 1 dried red chili
- 1 pinch mustard seeds
- 1 pinch fennel seeds
- 1 pinch cumin seeds
- 1 slice fresh ginger
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 leaf bay leaf
- to taste salt
- 3 1/4 cups vegetable broth
Preparation of Lentil Dahl with Rice
To prepare the lentil dahl with basmati rice, first toast the lentils in a non-stick pan without adding any fats, stirring for a few minutes.
In a pot, put the vegetable broth and add the rice, toasted lentils, and bay leaf while cold. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, add the salt, and cook for 6 minutes.
After the first 6 minutes, add the ground turmeric, stir, and let it cook for another 6 minutes. If the dahl becomes too dry, add more vegetable broth or a bit of boiling water.
In the meantime, heat the butter with the whole chili, grated fresh ginger, and cumin, fennel, and mustard seeds in a pan. When the dahl is cooked, turn it off and season it with the spiced butter, mix it, and serve hot.
