Indian Red Lentil Dahl with Spinach and Cumin-Scallion Tarka
Quick, easy, and delicious, this is our favorite recipe for this classic Indian lentil soup!
Servings: 3
Ingredients
Dahl:
- 190 g (1 cup) split red lentils
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 100 g (3.5 oz) frozen, chopped spinach thawed
Topping:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- ½ tbsp butter
- ½ tsp whole cumin seeds
- 1 large scallion
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
To serve:
- Basmati rice or naan
Instructions
- Prepare the lentils: Rinse the lentils, and pick out any stones. Place 700 ml (3 cups) water in a medium pot, and bring to a boil. Add the lentils. As the lentils start to foam, skim off and discard the foam. Once they have stopped foaming, add ¼ tsp ground turmeric. Boil the lentils for 20 minutes total. Then, add 1 tsp salt and the 100 g thawed, frozen spinach. Either simply stir in the spinach or make a swirl pattern like the photo using a Ziploc bag with a corner cut off.
- Make the tarka (topping): While the lentils boil, slice the scallion, then heat 1 tbsp oil and ½ tbsp butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add ½ tsp cumin seeds, the sliced scallion, and (if using) ¼ tsp cayenne pepper. Cook 30-45 seconds, stirring frequently. Turn off heat, and set aside until the lentils are ready.
- Serve: Serve the dahl over rice or alongside naan. Spoon the cumin-scallion topping over each bowl of dahl.