Whole Masoor Dal (Sabut Masoor Dal)

Whole masoor dal is a protein packed indian brown lentil curry tempered with onions, garlic, ginger and spices. Also known as sabut masoor dal or kali masoor ki dal, it is a delicious and healthy dish that can be served on its own or as a meal paired with flatbreads (roti or naan) or with steamed rice. 

This dal is vegan and gluten free. In this post I am including a punjabi north indian style recipe using pressure cooker. If you want to make whole masoor dal without pressure cooker, you could use Instant pot. 

Indian meals are incomplete without dal. Dals are comforting, flavorful and full of nutrition. In indian cuisine, the everyday dal is a filling meal and is a popular source of plant based protein.

I just love black and brown dal and make this whole masoor dal at least once a week. Over the years, I have started to cook it differently from the way I grew up eating.

I like to keep the flavors simple so that the taste of lentils is not washed out. It tastes homestyle and has a slurry like consistency, pourable on a plate directly next to rotis (flatbreads) 

Whole masoor dal goes so well with steamed rice or rotis. I usually make it using my stove-top pressure cooker, however Instant pot works great too.If you have the timing and water proportion right, the lentils would be holding shape, yet fully soft and evenly cooked. 

It is a hearty and delicious punjabi (north indian style) dal recipe that doesn't need sides- a simple salad and dollop of ghee is all you need. 

Try my dal bukhara or dal makhani recipe if you are craving restaurant style dals.

What is the difference between whole & split masoor dal

Masoor lentils come in 3 varieties. They could be split or whole and both are popular in indian cooking

1. Husked whole red lentils are without the brown covering and the grain is whole. 
2. Split and husked (skinned) masoor dal is called as dhuli masoor dal or lal masoor dal. These both have a bright orange color. Basically, husked masoor lentils = red lentils.
3. Sabut or Whole masoor lentils = unhusked red lentils. Sabut means whole in Hindi. The husks have a brown color and thats the color of the whole lentils as well. This is the reason they are also called whole brown lentils. 

This Whole Masoor dal 

• is wholesome and nutritious.
• is full of fiber and high in protein
• gluten free and vegan
• has balanced spicy comforting flavors
• can be made in pressure cooker or instant pot
• tastes better next day 
• is good for meal prep

Ingredients

Some Notes

• Finely chop the onion and tomatoes. Don't crush or blend them, this dal has a lot of texture.
• You may skip black cardamom.
• Use a small piece of cinnamon stick if you prefer.
• You may add a little cumin powder or coriander powder if you wish. Add the ground spices while making the tomato onion masala.
• You may use whole red Kashmiri chillies in place of red chili flakes.

How To Make Whole Masoor Dal (Step By Step Photos)

Soak The Lentils

These days, the lentils come quite clean, but still place them in a wide plate and scan through to sure make sure that they are clean. Remove any small stones etc. 

Wash lentils 2-3 times under running water. Then add to a pressure cooker and cover with water. Let soak for at least 1-2 hours. Soaked lentils cook evenly and are easier to digest.

Tip :- If you are cooking lentils on stove top, soak for 6-8 hours.  

Boil The Lentils

Once lentils are soaked, without draining the water, add whole spice (bay leaf, black cardamom (if using)), turmeric powder, chopped ginger & garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt. Add another ½ cup of water. Set on a low medium flame and let cook on high pressure for 15 minutes or so (6-7 whistles).

We dont want the lentils to get mushy. The grain should be intact but the lentils should be soft. When you press a cooked grain between your thumb and index finger, it should not need a lot of pressure to press. 

Check the lentils for softness and if done, immediately add few ice cubes to the pressure cooker. This will stop them for cooking further. 

Let cooked lentils stand while you prepare the tempering. 

Tip - Use experience with your lentil variety to adjust the cooking time. Different brands of lentils vary in quality and may cook faster or take longer to get soft. 

Make The Onion Tomato Masala

Transfer the cooked dal in a bowl to a bowl and you may use the pressure cooker itself to make the onion tomato masala (it becomes a one-pot meal then :))

I usually use In a large kadai or cooking pot, add the mustard oil. You may use ghee or any cooking oil of choice as well. 

Temper the oil with teaspoon of cumin seeds and chili flakes (or dried red chilies). Add the chopped onions next. Caramelize the onions for the next 7-10 minutes. 

Tip :- Golden brown onions contribute to the final taste of the lentils immensely so please dont rush the browning process. 

Add the chopped ginger and garlic next and stir with onions for 10-15 seconds. Take care not to burn. Next add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste (or puree, if using), salt, red chili powder and black pepper powder. At this point, you may add some green chillies if you wish. 

Cook for 3-5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften. Press lightly using the back of cooking spoon. We don't want to dry out the tomatoes but make sure that are soft before adding the lentils. 

Add the cooked dal next. Mix and then add a water depending on the consistency you prefer. I keep them thickish and add just ¼ to ⅓ cup hot water.

Let simmer on low flame for 12-14 minutes. Finish the lentils with amchoor (or lime juice), garam masala and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve whole masoor dal with steamed basmati rice, brown rice, jeera rice or indian bread.  

Tips 

• Use any variety of dal- If you cannot find whole masoor dal, use any variety of black lentils like beluga lentils or even whole green moong lentils can be used.
• Quality of Lentils Use recently purchased lentils. Lentils lying around for more than 3 months in your pantry dry out and get lacking in taste. 
• Soak the Lentils- It makes a lot of difference in texture and taste of the dal. 
• Add More Flavorings- You may add ½ teaspoon kasuri methi at the end for a punjabi flavor to this dal. 
• Make It Tangy- Mix in a dollop of whisked whole milk plain yogurt at the very end. Dont cook after adding yogurt. Yogurt adds a a nice rich tanginess to the dal. You may skip amchoor(dry mango powder) if you wish in that case.
• Make It Rich & Creamy - You many add 2 tablespoon butter & 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream at the end for a creamier dal.
• Browning the onions - This whole masoor dal recipe wont come out good if you reduce the onion quantity or dont brown the onions. Properly brown the onions without letting then turn black (else the dal will become bitter)
• Make it Spicy- Add chopped indian green chilies while making the onion tomato masala if you want a spicy dal. I usually keep it mellow because my kids dont like it spicy. Also, in my opinion, too much heat takes overpowers the taste of lentils itself. 
• You may use ginger garlic paste instead of chopped ginger & garlic. Store bough ginger garlic paste available in grocery stores if fine to use as well.
• I dont recommend adding a ton of spices while making the dal. You want to let the taste of lentils shine.
• Always use hot water to adjust the consistency of the dal while its cooking.
• Storage- This sabut masoor ki dal is a great for meal prep. It keep good taste for 4-5 days in the refrigerator.

More Indian Dals

Recipe