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Arhar dal, Bengali toor lentils

Arhar dal, Bengali toor lentils

Main dishes

Bengali lentil dish: Toor lentils cooked with turmeric, enhanced with a spice blend of cumin, bay leaf, chili pepper, onion, garlic, and ginger, finished …

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Recipe from Md Rashidul Hasan Biplob, adapted by Recette de cuisine · · updated on

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Arhar dal (also known as toor dal) is a staple dish in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. It is a mild and creamy lentil dish, typically finished with a tadka – a mixture of spices cooked in hot oil – and a drizzle of ghee.

Ingredients and directions

  • Prep time15 min
  • Cook time40 min
  • Resting30 min
  • Total1 hr 25 min
  • DifficultyEasy
  • CostBudget
  • Cooking methodsaucepan
  • Estimated cost$5.61 $1.40 / serving Estimated price; varies by store. Converted from euros at the ECB rate of October 15, 2026.
  • Vegetarian

Ingredients

4 people
  • $1.85
  • $0.17
  • $0.49
  • $0.05
  • $0.24
  • $0.24
  • $0.25
  • $0.18
  • $2.11
  • $0.03

Prices from US supermarkets for 8 of 10 ingredients; Belgian prices for the rest.

Directions

  1. Sort and rinse the lentils, then soak them for 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. Cook them over medium heat with turmeric, a pinch of salt, and enough water, while skimming off any foam that forms on the surface.
  3. When they are soft, stir to break up some of them and thicken the dal.
  4. In a frying pan, heat the oil and sauté the cumin, bay leaf, and dried chili peppers.
  5. When you start, add the onion and let it soften. ≈ 3 min
  6. Add the garlic and ginger, and cook until their raw smell disappears.
  7. Pour the lentils into the frying pan, mix, and adjust the consistency with a little water.
  8. Add the sliced green chili peppers and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes over low heat.
  9. Once the dal has thickened, add the ghee and cilantro, then let it rest, covered, for a few minutes.

The bill

Arhar dal, Bengali toor lentils

  • 200 g of toor lentils (also known as arhar dal)$1.85
  • 80 g of chopped onion$0.17
  • 5 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced$0.49
  • 1 tablespoon of ginger paste$0.05
  • 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric$0.24
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds$0.24
  • 3 tablespoons of mustard or sunflower oil$0.25
  • 1 tablespoon of ghee$0.18
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro$2.11
  • salt$0.03

Total$5.61

that's $1.40 per person

Estimated price; varies by store.

Equipment

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Before you start

Ingredients

  • 200 g of toor lentils (also known as arhar dal)
  • 80 g of chopped onion
  • 5 to 6 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon of ginger paste
  • 3 to 4 dried red chili peppers
  • 4 to 5 green chili peppers
  • 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 tablespoons of mustard or sunflower oil
  • 1 tablespoon of ghee
  • 2 tablespoons of chopped cilantro
  • salt
  • water

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