Slow-Cooker Dal
When fall arrives, nothing is better than cozying up with a regular rotation of warm meals. While soup and stew certainly get the job done, sometimes dinner begs for something different, like this recipe for dal, a type of lentil soup, which we’re making in the slow cooker.
Seek Assistance from the Spice Cabinet
It’s best this dish is cooked for six hours and simmered low. This isn’t the kind of slow-cooker recipe to make if you’re going to be out of the house all day. But if you’ve got an afternoon of errands to run and still want to enjoy dinner when you come home, consider this dal a good choice.
Slow-Cooker Dal
Serves 6
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons
whole cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons
whole mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon
whole fennel seeds
- 2 cups
split red lentils, rinsed
- 5 cups
water
- 1
(15-ounce) can diced tomatoes
- 1
medium onion, diced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 tablespoon
ground turmeric
- 1
bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon
kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
Fresh cilantro leaves, for serving (optional)
Jasmine rice, for serving
Instructions
Add the cumin, mustard, and fennel seeds to a small sauté pan, and place on the stove over low heat. Toast the seeds, using a wooden spoon to stir frequently, until fragrant, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add the toasted spices, lentils, water, tomatoes, onion, ginger, turmeric, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a 6-quart slow cooker. Stir together. Cover the slow cooker with the lid, then set to low and cook for 4 to 6 hours, or high and cook for 2 to 3 hours, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the lentils are soft. Stir before serving.
Recipe Notes
Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.