Scrumptious Lentil dishes that will make your meal better

Lentils are a good source of protein. There are various types of lentils. These are available everywhere and in all seasons. Lentils are good for people of all age groups. You can cook some scrumptious lentil dishes and have a protein rich meal in lunch or dinner. Lentils can be cooked in many ways. The lentil dishes need ingredients which are easily available at home. Follow the recipes of lentils and cook them anytime.

Chana Masala

This is a lip-smacking dish of small black chickpeas sauteed with herbs and spices. You can eat this with rice, chapati, paratha or poori. This recipe can be followed for chickpea also.

Ingredients –

1. Small Black chickpeas – 1 cup
2. Onion – 1
3. Salt – According to taste
4. Ginger – A piece
5. Tomato – 1
6. Chili – Few
7. Cumin Seeds (Jeera) – 1 teaspoon
8. Oil – 3 tablespoons
9. Chili powder – Half teaspoon
10. Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
11. Coriander powder – Half teaspoon
12. Garam Masala – Half teaspoon
13. Chaat Masala – 1 teaspoon
14. Asafoetida (Hing) – A pinch
15. Tomato sauce – 1 tablespoon
16. Black salt – Half teaspoon
17. Water – As required

Method –

1. Soak small black chickpeas on the previous night of making this dish. Put the soaked chickpeas in a pressure cooker with sufficient water and little salt.
2. Pressure cook for few whistles till the chickpeas get cooked. The exact number of whistles cannot be specified as it depends on the quality of chickpeas.
3. Keep the boiled chickpeas aside. Chop onion, tomato, chili and ginger finely. Heat a pan and put oil to it. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Let them splutter.
4. Put ginger, chili, onion and saute till the raw smell disappears. Add tomato and cook for some time. Do not overcook onion and tomato.
5. They must remain a bit crunchy. Put boiled chickpeas to the pan and mix. Add salt, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and mix properly.
6. Then put garam masala, chaat masala, black salt and mix well. Add tomato sauce and mix. Make sure that all the ingredients have combined with each other.
7. If the mixture sticks to the pan, then put little water and mix. Serve it hot.

Dal Makhani

This is a delicious dish of lentils sauteed in a creamy and spicy gravy. You can eat this with rice, chapati, paratha or poori.

Ingredients –

1. Whole black Urad Dal – 1 cup
2. Rajma – One-fourth cup
3. Chickpeas – One-fourth cup
4. Chana Dal – One-fourth cup
5. Water – As required
6. Salt – According to taste
7. Oil – 4 tablespoons
8. Bay leaf – 1 or 2
9. Tomato – 2
10. Chili – Few
11. Onion – 1 large
12. Asafoetida (Hing) – A pinch
13. Chili powder – 1 teaspoon
14. Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
15. Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
16. Garam Masala – Half teaspoon
17. Ginger – A piece
18. Garlic – Few cloves
19. Turmeric powder – 1 teaspoon
20. Cream – Half cup
21. Cloves – Few
22. Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon

Method –

1. If you do not have cream, then you can use thick milk. Soak whole black urad dal, chickpeas and rajma on the previous night of making this dish.
2. Soak chana dal few hours before making this dish. Chop onion, tomato, chili, garlic and ginger finely. Drain off water from the lentils and keep them aside.
3. Heat a pressure cooker and put oil to it. Add bay leaf, cloves and asafoetida. Let them splutter. Put chili, ginger, garlic and onion.
4. Fry well till the raw smell disappears. Add tomato and saute till it turns soft and mushy.
5. Put salt, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and mix properly. Add all the lentils to it and mix well.
6. Put sufficient water and close the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for few whistles till the lentils get cooked.
7. The exact number of whistles cannot be specified as it depends on the quality of lentils. Remove cover and check whether all the lentils have cooked or not.
8. Put cream and mix very well. Then add coriander leaves and mix. Serve it hot.

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Rajma Masala

This is a yummy dish of Rajma (kidney beans) sauteed in a gravy of herbs and spices. You can eat this with rice, chapati, paratha or poori.

Ingredients –

1. Rajma – 1 cup
2. Water – As required
3. Salt – According to taste
4. Oil – 3 tablespoons
5. Bay leaf – 1 or 2
6. Tomato – 2
7. Chili – Few
8. Onion – 1
9. Cumin Seeds (Jeera) – 1 teaspoon
10. Cinnamon – A piece
11. Cloves – Few
12. Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
13. Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
14. Chili powder – Half teaspoon
15. Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
16. Coriander powder – Half teaspoon
17. Garam Masala – Half teaspoon
18. Kasuri Methi – 1 teaspoon
19. Ginger – A piece
20. Garlic – Few cloves

Method –

1. Soak rajma on the previous night of making this dish. Put the soaked rajma in a pressure cooker with sufficient water and little salt.
2. Pressure cook for few whistles till the rajma gets cooked. The exact number of whistles cannot be specified as it depends on the quality of rajma.
3. Keep the boiled rajma aside. Chop onion, tomato, chili, garlic and ginger finely. Heat a pan and put oil to it. Add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves and cinnamon.
4. Let them splutter. Put chili, ginger, garlic and onion. Fry well till the raw smell disappears. Add tomato and saute till it turns soft and mushy.
5. Put salt, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and mix properly. Saute till there is an aroma from the spices.
6. Add boiled rajma to it and mix well. Put water and cook till a gravy forms. Cover the pan and simmer for few minutes. Remove cover and put kasuri methi.
7. Mix well and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot.

Also Read Delectable Dal recipes that will make your meal better

Black Chana Curry

This is a delectable dish of small black chickpeas sauteed in a gravy of herbs and spices. You can eat this with rice, chapati, paratha or poori.

Ingredients –

1. Small Black chickpeas – 1 cup
2. Onion – 1
3. Salt – According to taste
4. Ginger – A piece
5. Tomato – 1
6. Chili – Few
7. Cumin Seeds (Jeera) – 1 teaspoon
8. Oil – 3 tablespoons
9. Garlic – Few cloves
10. Cinnamon – A piece
11. Cloves – Few
12. Bay leaf – 1 or 2
13. Kasuri Methi – 1 teaspoon
14. Coriander leaves – 1 tablespoon
15. Turmeric powder – Half teaspoon
16. Chili powder – Half teaspoon
17. Cumin powder – Half teaspoon
18. Coriander powder – Half teaspoon
19. Garam Masala – Half teaspoon
20. Asafoetida (Hing) – A pinch
21. Water – As required

Method –

1. Soak small black chickpeas on the previous night of making this dish. Chop onion, tomato, chili, garlic and ginger finely. Heat a pressure cooker and put oil to it.
2. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves and asafoetida. Let them splutter. Put chili, ginger, garlic and onion. Fry well till the raw smell disappears.
3. Add tomato and saute till it turns soft and mushy. Put salt, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and mix properly.
4. Add small black chickpeas to it and mix well. Put sufficient water and close the pressure cooker. Pressure cook for few whistles till the chickpeas get cooked.
5. The exact number of whistles cannot be specified as it depends on the quality of chickpeas. Remove cover and check whether chickpeas have cooked or not.
6. Add kasuri methi and mix properly. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot.