Methi Dal (North Indian Style)
Methi dal is a comforting north indian (punjabi) dal recipe made with a mix of yellow lentils, fresh methi leaves, garlic and basic spices.
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup arhar dal split pigeon peas lentils (note2)
- ⅓ cup yellow moong dal (note2)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 bunch fresh methi 200g (note3), finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon amchoor powder adjust to taste
For Tempering
- 4 tablespoon mustard oil or ghee/vegan butter
- ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ⅛ teaspoon hing asafoetida (note4)
- 2 dried chili or ½ teaspoon red chilli flakes
- 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- ½ inch ginger finely chopped
- 1/ small tomato cubed
- Ghee to drizzle
Instructions
- Rinse the mix of dals 3-4 times in running water until the water runs clear. Washing lentils is key in removing the indigestible elements found in their skins. Soak the lentils for 20-25 minutes. Soaked lentils cook evenly.
- Place the soaked & drained lentils in a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups fresh water to cover. Set on a stove. You could cook the lentils in Instant pot as well. Once boiling, you will notice white foam on the surface of lentils. Using a spoon, skim the foam and discard it.
- Top with ½ cup more water to cover the lentils. Add turmeric powder and salt. Close the lid and cook on low medium heat for 3 whistles. The lentils should be soft in 3 whistles. We dont want mushy lentils.
- Once the pressure is released, open the lid and make sure that lentils are soft. I press a few grains between my thumb & index finger to check it. Else cook for 1-2 whistles more or as needed. Mash the cooked lentils using back of spoon for a few minutes till creamy.
- While the lentils are cooking, clean the methi leaves. To clean, pluck the leaves from the stems and discard the stems. Thoroughly wash the methi leaves 3-4 times and finely chop them. Chop the garlic and ginger as well.
- In a pot, warm up the mustard oil to slightly smoky (to do away the raw smell).
- Take off the stove and temper with cumin, hing, chilies and chopped garlic & ginger. Everything will sizzle, keep stirring and make sure that nothing burns. Sauté exerting in oil for a few seconds.
- Next, add the chopped methi leaves and saute for 3-4 minutes to do away the bitterness of greens. This also dries up the moisture of greens and prevents the dal from becoming greenish color.
- Add the cooked dal and tomato (if using). Mix, adjust the consistency with extra water if needed and simmer for 8-10 minutes till everything is warmed through.
- Finish with amchoor (or lemon juice). You could also add a few pinches of garam masala. Done!
Notes
- Nutrition mentioned is an estimation only.
- You could use any mix of yellow lentils in this recipe. Just using red lentils is perfect too.
- Use frozen methi if you cannot find fresh. You could use fresh spinach too.
- Skip hing for gluten free version.
- To make this dal spicy, add ½ teaspoon of cayenne during tempering. Be careful while adding any sort of chili (fresh or powdered) in this recipe, since methi does add a bit of bitterness.
- Serve with steamed plain rice, jeera rice, achar and some pickled onions for a wonderful meal.
- Pair with rotis and a bowl of yogurt and aloo bharta. Delicious!!
- You can serve methi dal on its own with a dollop of ghee and a teaspoon of pickle on top(my favorite!)
Nutrition
Calories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 13gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gSodium: 300mgPotassium: 345mgFiber: 11gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 194IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!