Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Introduction and Ingredients Overview

   Dr. Maya Bose introduces her mother, Prema, who will demonstrate making Indian dal. Prema explains that she's using red lentils, which are quick-cooking and widely available. She mentions the basic ingredients for dal are lentils, water, and turmeric, and that other ingredients like onion, ginger, green chili, and coriander are for garnishing.

2. 2.Wash the Lentils

   Place 1 cup of red lentils in a pot. Run water over the lentils and use your hand to gently wash them. Drain the water. Repeat this process a couple of times until the water runs clear.

3. 3.Add Water and Turmeric

   Add 2.5 cups of water to the washed lentils. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder.

4. 4.Add Oil to Prevent Boil Over

   Pour about 1 teaspoon of cooking oil (vegetable oil or any neutral oil) on top of the lentils. Do not stir it. This helps prevent the dal from boiling over.

5. 5.Cook the Lentils

   Place the pot of lentils on the stove over low to medium-low heat. Let it cook uncovered until thoroughly cooked. The aroma of the cooking dal will fill the kitchen.

6. 6.Prepare Garnish: Chop Onion

   Peel and chop 1 medium onion into small, fine pieces. Gather the chopped onion onto a plate.

7. 7.Prepare Garnish: Peel and Chop Ginger

   Cut about a 1-inch piece of ginger. Peel the skin off the ginger. Slice the ginger very thinly, then chop it finely into small pieces.

8. 8.Prepare Garnish: Deseed and Chop Green Chili

   Take 1 green chili. Cut it lengthwise and remove the seeds to reduce its hotness. Chop half of the deseeded green chili finely.

9. 9.Prepare Garnish: Wash and Chop Coriander

   Take a bunch of coriander. Remove the leaves from the stems and wash them thoroughly in water. Squeeze out excess water and chop the coriander leaves.

10. 10.Check Dal Consistency

    Occasionally stir the cooking dal to ensure the water hasn't dried out. If needed, add more water. The dal should be almost cooked but still slightly separate, indicating it needs another 5-10 minutes to become fully homogeneous.

11. 11.Cook Garnish: Heat Ghee and Cumin Seeds

    Place a small pan on the stove over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee to the pan. Once the ghee is hot and starts to foam, add 1.5 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds. Stir the cumin seeds until they start to sizzle and you can smell their aroma.

12. 12.Add Ginger and Green Chili to Ghee

    Once the cumin seeds are aromatic, add the finely chopped ginger and green chili to the pan. Sauté for a couple of seconds.

13. 13.Add Onion and Sauté

    Add the chopped onion to the pan with the ginger and green chili. Sauté the onions until they are slightly brown.

14. 14.Add Garnish to Cooked Dal

    The dal is now fully cooked and homogeneous. Pour the sautéed onion, ginger, green chili, and cumin garnish into the pot of dal. Stir well to combine.

15. 15.Add Salt and Coriander

    Add 1.5 teaspoons of salt (or to taste) to the dal and stir. Add most of the chopped coriander to the dal, reserving a small amount for final garnishing. Stir again.

16. 16.Serve the Dal

    Serve the hot dal over a bed of cooked rice. Garnish with the remaining fresh coriander.