Dal Fry

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow split lentils (moong dal)
• 1 whole onion, medium
• 2 whole tomato, medium
• 4 whole garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 cups water

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the yellow lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cool running water until the water runs clear, about 60 seconds. This removes dust and surface starch so the dal cooks evenly.

2. 2

   Cut the onion in half lengthwise from root to tip, then slice it crosswise into thin half-moons about 1/8 inch thick. You should have a small pile of thin curved slices.

3. 3

   Cut each tomato in half, then slice each half into thin wedges about 1/4 inch wide. Set the tomato pieces aside in a small bowl.

4. 4

   Mince the garlic cloves until each piece is the size of a pencil-tip dot, smaller than a grain of rice. Set aside in a small bowl.

5. 5

   Pour 4 cups of water into a medium pot and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat, about 8 minutes. You'll see large bubbles rapidly breaking the surface.

6. 6

   Add the rinsed lentils to the boiling water and stir once with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium and let it simmer gently for 15 minutes until the lentils soften slightly but still hold their shape.

7. 7

   Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

8. 8

   Add the sliced onion to the hot oil and stir frequently with a wooden spoon for 4 minutes until the pieces turn light golden brown and smell sweet and caramelized.

9. 9

   Add the minced garlic to the onions and stir constantly for 45 seconds until the smell becomes strong and fragrant, a sign the raw garlic flavor has cooked off.

10. 10

    Stir in the turmeric powder and mix for 15 seconds until the oil turns golden yellow and coats all the onions evenly. This blooms the spice so it flavors the entire dal.

11. 11

    Add the tomato slices to the onion mixture and stir gently for 3 minutes until the tomatoes break down into a chunky sauce and the raw smell fades.

12. 12

    Pour the cooked lentils and their cooking water into the skillet with the tomato mixture. Stir well to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring once every 60 seconds, until the dal is creamy and no longer watery.

13. 13

    Pour the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil into a small skillet and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 45 seconds.

14. 14

    Add the cumin seeds to the hot oil and listen for a few seconds until they crackle and pop loudly, releasing a nutty aroma, about 10 seconds.

15. 15

    Carefully pour the entire contents of the small skillet—the oil and cumin seeds—into the dal. You'll hear it sizzle loudly; this tempering adds a final layer of flavor.

16. 16

    Stir the dal gently for 30 seconds until the sizzle dies down and the cumin seeds are evenly distributed throughout.

Tools you’ll need

• fine-mesh strainer
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• small bowls (3)
• medium pot
• wooden spoon
• large skillet (10-inch)
• small skillet (8-inch)

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