Dal Fry (Seasoned Lentils)

Dal Fry (Dal Thadka) is a popular Indian lentil recipe. This recipe uses Toor dal or Masoor dal which is also known as red lentils. The dal is seasoned with a variety of spices and it's so comforting, flavorsome, and tastes delicious. You can prepare this dish in 15 minutes. Yes! You heard it right, in just 15 minutes. You can even time yourself to see how quick and simple this dish is. It's also a versatile dish, you can add some spinach or any greens or vegetables to cook along with the dal. 

Dal Fry (Seasoned Lentils) 

• Preparation time = 10 minutes
• Cooking time = 15 minutes
• Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup Toor dal (split pigeon peas) or Masoor dal (red lentils)
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

Seasoning  

• 2 tablespoons grape seed or avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (Ajwain)
• 1 inch ginger finely shredded or chopped
• 4 small garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1 medium-sized red onion finely chopped
• 1 bunch of cilantro finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red pepper powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. In a saucepan cook dal (lentils) with 2-1/2 cups of water and add salt, turmeric and a few drops of oil. Cook on medium-high heat until the dal is soft. If needed add more water, dal should be the consistency of thick soup.
2. You can also cook the dal in a pressure cooker. 
3. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Test the heat by adding one fennel seed to the oil; if it cracks right away, the oil is ready. Add fennel seeds and caraway seeds. After the seeds crack add ginger, garlic, and onion. Stir for a few seconds until the onions are translucent.
4. Add cilantro, kashmiri chili powder, and salt, and cook for about one minute.
5. Pour the seasoning over the dal, mix it well and cook for another minute.
6. Dal fry is ready, serve this as a main dish with Indian flatbread or with plain rice.

Call to Action  

Growing up, my loving mother prepared this dish almost every day and it's my favorite comforting dish to this day. I call this dish my survival dish because I can just survive with this one dish almost every day. In the same way, we can survive in this world filled with trials and tribulations by reading the Word of God which is so comforting to our souls.

Let's consider brother Job, even when he lost everything he was able to survive with one ingredient in his life, which is by the Word of God or by the Love of God. Satan thought he could destroy brother Job by taking everything from him but he didn't realize that Jesus was his everything. 

Even Jesus used this survival technique when He was tempted by the devil and was able to resist the temptations by the same Word, when He said, "'It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God'" (Matthew 4:4).

Can we survive in this world like brother Job? Can we resist the temptations like our Savior Jesus? Yes! By reading the Word daily and by believing and claiming the promises we become partakers of divine nature. So, yes! In Jesus, we live (survive) and by Him and Him alone, we are able to breathe and have our being. 

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Our next plant-based recipe will be published on April 10.

All scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.