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Bowl of lentil soup with boiled eggs.
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Easy Lentil Dahl Soup Recipe

Warm and comforting, Indian Lentil Dahl Soup is great for winter nights. Seasoned with Indian spices and lots of garlic it packs a punch of flavor.
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine Indian
Keyword dahl, dal, lentils,, soup
Budget Frugal
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Soaking time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings 3
Calories 520kcal

Equipment

  • Large pot
  • wooden spoon

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dry brown lentils or dry red lentils
  • 4 tablespoons oil
  • 8 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 medium onion chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 star anise
  • 2 inch stick of cinnamon
  • 1 green chili slit in half
  • salt to taste
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 cups water or vegetable stock
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped or parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns whole
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 large tomatoes chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil
  • 5 cloves garlic whole
  • 2 eggs boiled and halved

Instructions

  • Soak the lentils in a bowl for 2-3 hours.
  • In a large pot, heat oil and add the chopped garlic, and fry for 1-2 minutes on low heat.
  • Next, add the cumin seeds, chopped yellow onions, bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon stick, green chili, salt, turmeric, chili powder, black pepper, and ground cumin.
  • Cook until the mixture is fragrant- around 1 minute.
  • Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté until they become soft.
  • Add the lentils along with 2 cups of water and stir to combine.
  • Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until the lentils become soft.
  • Meanwhile, crush the whole garlic cloves with the side of your knife, and fry them in the ghee in a pan, until they are golden.
  • Ladle the soup into individual bowls and garnish with cilantro, halved boiled eggs, and the garlic fried in ghee.
  • Serve this soup piping hot!

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 127mg | Potassium: 1114mg | Fiber: 23g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 1503IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 126mg | Iron: 7mg