This lemon dal is unique in that you float a lemon-half in the dal for nearly an hour. The slow-steeping softens the lemon, making it fragrant like a gentle lemon perfume.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons light oil
- 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 pound masoor dal (orange split lentils) picked over and rinsed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped ginger
- 2 1/2 cups veg broth
- 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
- salt
- 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 small onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1/2 serrano or japapeno chile, chopped with seeds
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Heat 6 tablespoons oil in a large, deep saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced onion and cook, stirring, until tender.
- Add the cinnamon sticks, dal, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, 10 minutes.
- Add the stock, 2 cups water, red pepper, and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
- Squeeze juice from the lemon halve, straining the seeds. Add the lemon juice and the lemon halve to the lentils. Cook 50 minutes, stirring often. Add up to 1 cup more water, if dal dries out too much.
- Heat the olive oil in a small pan. Add chopped onion, garlic, chili and bay leaves. Cook, stirring, until onion is browned. Add mixture to lentils and stir. Serve hot.