There is nothing more than comforting than a bowl of lentils aka dal with rice. That is my go-to meal when I am running low in time or under the weather. It is a quick and easy meal that is filling and hearty.
Nepali National Dish:
Dal bhat is the national dish of Nepal. It literally means ’lentils with rice’ in Hindi. It is a traditional Nepali dish that is made by frequently made by the locals. Himalayan trekkers are served this dish by the Sherpa and Tibetan guides. Daal bhat is a filling vegetarian meal that is packed with protein (from the lentils), carbs (from rice), spices.
Ingredients:
Nepali dal is slightly different from the regular dals I make at home because of the addition of the ground masala powder. The addition of warm spices like cardamom, cloves and cinnamon adds a lot of flavor to the dal and makes it taste spicy and comforting. Recipe is adapted from Sandhya’s post:
Here are the ingredients you need to make this dish:
Red Lentils (Masoor Dal)OnionTurmeric and SaltFor the Spice powder: Dry red chilies, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander and peppercorns
Instructions:
Make the Spice Powder: Grind all the ingredients listed under masala powder into a smooth powder. Cook Lentils: Pressure cook red lentils until soft and mushy. Alternately red lentils can be cooked on the stove top until tender. Heat 2tsp oil in a saucepan, add the chopped onions and cook until they are golden brown. Add the masala powder, mix well and cook for 1~2 minutes. Stir in the cooked dal, turmeric and salt. Add water if the dal looks too thick. Simmer on medium flame for 6~8 minutes. Sprinkle chopped cilantro and serve.
This Nepali dal is often served with tarkari (mixed vegetable curry) for a complete wholesome meal. But if you want to make a vegetarian Nepali thali, check this post out.
