Sweet Masoor Dal (Red Lentils Bengali style)

I prepared this delicious Masoor Dal (Red Lentils) for our lunch today. I have prepared this dal several times using a different recipe and never quite took a liking to it. However, this recipe is quick to prepare and delicious to eat and tastes every bit Bengali (maybe because of its sweet taste). Now if you want you can definitely skip the sugar but then it may lose its authentic taste. We had it with some steamed rice, papad, Mach Bhaja and Kopir torkari and I enjoyed every bite of it. 

Ingredients:

• Masoor dal (Red Lentils) – ½ cup 
• Salt – ½ teaspoon
• Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
• Sugar - 1 tablespoon
• Mustard Oil - 1 teaspoon + 1 tablespoon (for tempering)
• Onion – ½ cup, julienned
• Whole Dry Red Chilies – 2-3
• Black Nigella Seeds – ½ teaspoon

Directions to cook the dal:

• Wash the dal and add it in the pressure cooker along with the Salt, Turmeric powder, Sugar and Mustard Oil (1 teaspoon). 
• Add 2 cups of water in it and mix well.
• Close the cooker and put it on a medium heat. Make sure you put the whistle and rubber on the lid and close it properly.
• When the cooker whistles for 2-3 times, turn off the heat and let it cool down.
• Once the pressure drops and the lid opens, start the tempering process.

Directions to temper the Dal:

• Heat a wok over high heat.
• Add the Mustard Oil (1 tablespoon) along with the Whole Dry Red Chilies and Black Nigella Seeds in it.
• Once you get the aroma of the spices, lower the heat and carefully add the Onion in it.
• Fry till the Onion slices are golden brown in color.
• Add the dal in it (carefully and slowly).
• Increase the heat to high and bring it to a boil. Make sure the consistency is not too thick. If it is, add a cup of lukewarm water and adjust the Salt. It should be slightly sweet (which will also cut down the heat of the dry chilies).
• Turn off the heat and serve the dal hot with Steamed Rice, Alu Bhaja, Mach Bhaja or any torkari of your choice.

Recommended Reading:

• Moonger dal (Yellow Lentils soup)
• Panch Bhaja (Crispy Deep Fried Vegetables)
• Korola Peyaj (Stir Fried Bitter Gourd with Onion)
• Chaler Payesh (Bengali style Rice Pudding)
• Urad Dal Bengali Style (Biulir dal/ White Lentils Soup)
• Alu Posto (Bengali recipe: Potatoes with Poppy Seeds)
• Kopi Alur Chochchori (Bengali recipe: Stir fried Cauliflower with Potatoes)
• Arhar Dal (Toor Dal or Split Yellow Pigeon Peas Soup)
• Know more about Kalonji or Nigella seeds
• Cholar Dal (Bengali recipe: Chana Dal/ Split Bengal gram)
• Kacha Aamer Ombol (Bengali chutney with Unripe Mango)
• Shorshe Diye Bata Mach (Bengali recipe: Fish in Mustard Gravy)
• Mixed Dal with Cilantro (Arhar-Masoor Dal with Dhania garnish)
• Bengali Tomato Chatni (chutney) With Dried Fruits
• Chichinda Pyaz Sabji (Snake gourd and Onion stir fry)