Lentils are an incredible way of eating a high fiber and protein diet! Masoor Dal is one of the easiest, most flavorful dump-and-go vegan lentil recipes that pairs well with rice, naan, paratha, or by itself with vegetables.
Soak the dried lentils in a bowl with twice the amount of water for a minimum of an hour. If the soak time is skipped, simply cook the lentils for longer until soft.
In a pot on medium heat, sauté the onions and cumin seeds in oil until the onions begin to brown.
Then, add in the rest of the spices, ginger garlic paste, and diced tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes soften.
Once the tomatoes are cooked, pour in the dal with about 3 cups of water and stir everything together. Cover the pot with a lid and allow it to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring every now and then and checking the water levels to see if it needs more liquid.
The dal is done once it is creamy and soft. The amount of water is based off of preference, it can be a bit soupy or close to dry. Take it off heat and add in a handful of chopped cilantro. Serve with rice or roti.
Notes
Instant Pot Instructions
Soak the lentils for half an hour and rinse thoroughly. A pressure cooker can be ideal for cooking lentils because it retains heat and steam, making it quick to cook with less soak time. Sauté the onions and cumin seeds in oil until the onions begin to brown.Then dump everything else into the Instant Pot with about 2 cups of water (or accordingly to how soupy you would like it) and turn it on for 30 minutes using the Bean mode. Remove the lid and allow the steam to dissipate. Add in a handful of chopped cilantro and serve.