Red split skinned Masoor dal
                                     (Malka masoor dal)

Malka masoor dal or Red split lentils have a pretty reddish-orange color in its dried form, but they turn yellow when cooked. Masoor lentils are basically the split lentils without skin. 

Red split lentils cook relatively quickly. After cooking Malka ki dal seems similar to yellow Moong dal but they are very different in flavor and texture. Malka masoor dal  is a very simple dal, onions, tomatoes and green chilies tadka gives a wonderful flavor.

Ingredients for dal: 

1     Cup red split skinned masoor dal
½    Teaspoon turmeric powder
1½  Teaspoon salt or to your taste
3     Cups of water

Ingredients for Cumin seed Tadka:
 
1  Teaspoon cumin seeds
1  Pinch of asafetida (Hing) 
1  Tablespoon vegetable oil

Ingredients for hot chili Tadka:

2   Teaspoon crushed red chilies or red
      chili powder
2   Tablespoons melted butter or Ghee

Ingredients for onion Tadka: 

1   Small onion – finely chopped
1   Medium ripe tomato - chopped
1   Medium green chili- Chopped
1   Tablespoon of vegetable oil
2   Tablespoons chopped coriander
       leaves
Serving for 4

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    Red split skinned Masoor dal

   Crushed Peppers, Butter, Cumin           Seeds & Hing (Asafetida)

Tomatoes, Onions, Green Chilies,            Coriander Leaves & Oil

Directions for cooking dal: 

1.  In a pressure cooker add dal and wash, changing water several times until the
     water  appears clear and then soak dal in 4 cups of water for 15 to 20 minutes.

In the Pressure cooker add Red lentils

Wash Red lentils

Soak lentils in water

Lentils are soaked

2.  Once dal is soaked rinse the water out and wash . Add 3 cups of water, 
     turmeric powder, salt  and 1 teaspoon of oil and mix.When dal is boiling it
     creates lot of foam and the  foam comes out from pressure
     cooker to prevent that it is a good idea to add little oil

Add water in soaked Lentils

Add Turmeric powder & Salt & mix

3. Close the lid of the pressure cooker, place the weight  on the lid  and cook on
​     medium heat. ​

4.  In about 8 to 10 minutes pressure cooker will start steaming turn the heat down and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Red masoor dal cooks very quickly. Turn the stove off and wait until steam goes down. Different brand of cooker require different time to cook.

5.  While dal is cooking prepare the onion and cumin seed tadka and keep them
      aside. (see below for  tadka directions) 

6.  Open the pressure cooker and turn the stove on to medium heat, with the
     cooking  spoon mix  dal well so there are no lumps, if the dal is thick then
​    add more water. 

Close the pressure cooker

Open the pressure cooker

With a spoon mix Dal

Lentils become tender

7.  Add onion, tomato tadka and cook for few minutes then add cumin seed tadka
     cook for 1 minute and close the stove off or until you have the desired
     consistency, turn the stove off. 

8.   When ready to serve, add chopped Coriander leaves and mix, transfer dal in a
     serving bowl and pour  hot chili tadka over dal. (See below for chili tadka.) 
      chili tadka.)

Add onion, tomato tadka and mix

Mix Onion Tadka with Dal

Add Cumin seed Tadka

Mix Cumin seed tadka

Add Chopped Coriander Leaves

Red Masoor Dal is ready

Red split skinned Masoor dal

Tips: 

1. If ou wish you can skip onion tadka or any other tadka and alter Dal to your taste.

2. Use pressure cooker for cooking dal otherwise it  takes too long to cook dal.  

Directions for cumin seeds tadka: (tadka) 

1.  In a small pan (tadka pan) add 1 tablespoon oil, cumin seeds and asafetida and fry them for 2 to 3 minutes on medium heat or until cumin seeds become dark brown, turn  the heat off.

Direction for hot chili tadka: (Hot Oil) (tadka)
 
1.  In a small pan (tadka pan) heat 2 tablespoons ghee or melted butter add crushed red chilies or red chili powder and fry them on very low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until the red chilies fried, turn the heat off.

Directions for onion tadka: (tadka) 

1. Heat small frying pan, add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, chopped onions and sauté them on medium high heat for 5 to 6 minutes or until onions become light brown, while frequently stirring  them. 

2. Add chopped tomatoes, chopped green chilies and cook. With the spatula try to
    mash the tomatoes so that they become soft quickly. In about 5 to 6 minutes
    tomatoes will become soft and blend with onions. Turn the stove off.

Please take the time to let me know what you think about my recipe. Your comments would be helpful to me to improve the recipe.

Thank you      

Geeta Seth

       

Other recipes:

Masoor dal                                                    Panchratan dal

Masoor dal kofta                                           Split black urad dal

Black urad dal (Ma ki dal, Black grams)    Split green moong dal

Toor dal (Arhar dal or masala tadka dal)         Moong dal (Yellow skinned)

Chapati (Pulkha or roti)                            Rice with caramelized brown onions