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Mas ko dal
मासको दाल (mas ko dal): Nepali whole black lentils with ginger, garlic and a jimbu tempering
Mas ko dal, made from whole black urad, is the thick, dark dal of the Nepali hills, cooked in heavy pots in Kathmandu, Gorkha and the Newar towns, especially on cold days and for festival meals. Slow cooking makes it creamy and earthy, and the tempering of jimbu, garlic and cumin in hot mustard oil gives it the scent of the Himalaya. Eat with rice, roti or dhido. Suitable as part of a balanced diet, it is high in protein and fibre: about 250 kcal and 30 g carbohydrate per portion; brown rice or millet dhido suits it well. The usual mistake is not soaking the lentils, which leaves them hard and the dal thin; soak them overnight. Chef's tip: simmer the dal with a few ginger slices and mash it lightly with a wooden spoon at the end for the classic thick texture.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz whole black lentils (mas, whole urad)soaked overnight
- 5 cups water
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- 1 tsp salt
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp jimbu (dried Himalayan herb)or 2 sliced spring onions
- 4 cloves garlicsliced
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Drain the soaked 7 oz whole black lentils (mas, whole urad) and put it in a heavy pot with 5 cups water, ½ tsp ground turmeric and half the 1 tbsp fresh ginger. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam.
8 minStep 2: Simmer partly covered for 45–50 minutes (or pressure-cook for 20 minutes after the first whistle), stirring now and then, until the lentils split open and squash easily. Add hot water if it gets too thick.
48 minStep 3: Stir in the rest of the 1 tbsp fresh ginger and 1 tsp salt and mash the dal lightly with a wooden spoon until thick and creamy.
3 minStep 4: Heat 2 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan until smoking, then lower the heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp jimbu (dried Himalayan herb), 4 cloves garlic and 1 dried red chilli and fry for 1 minute until the garlic is golden.
2 minStep 5: Pour the tempering over the dal, cover for 1 minute to trap the aroma, then stir in 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 11 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mas ko dal take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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