A healthy vegetarian Indian food recipe. Mung dal, or Indian-flavored yellow lentils, are a traditional vegetarian Indian recipe. This easy version of mund dhal soup simmers the dal in vegetable broth, turmeric and cayenne for a spicy vegetarian Indian side dish.
Worried about fat? Omit the oil and heat the onion and spices in a non-stick pan with a touch water instead to make this recipe virtually fat-free and reduced in calories too.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mung dal
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- 1 tsp turmeric
- dash cayenne pepper (or more, if you like spice!)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp margarine or olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 whole cloves
- black pepper to taste
Preparation:
In a large soup or stock pan, combine the mung dal or yellow lentils, vegetable broth, turmeric, cayenne and salt. Bring to a slow simmer. Cover partially with a lid and allow to cook for 30-40 minutes.
In a separate skillet, sautee the onion, cumin seeds and clove in margarine or olive oil for just a few minutes, until onions are soft.
Add the onions and spices to the mung dal or lentils and allow to simmer for a few more minutes, stirring well to combine. Sprinkle with a dash of black pepper and add extra salt to taste, if needed. Serve plain, as soup, or over rice.
