Slow Cooker Madras Dal Recipe
Slow Cooker Madras Dal and Madras Curry Paste
Submitted By: Taz
Slow Cooker Madras Dal
Ingredients:
3 Cups Split Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) - picked and rinsed
1 (14.5 oz) Can Tomato Purée (Tamatar)
1 (14.5 oz) Can Diced Tomatoes and their juice (Tamatar)
½ inch piece Fresh Ginger (Adrak) - minced
3 cloves Fresh Garlic (Leh-sun) - minced
2 Fresh Green Chiles (Hari Mirch) - sliced in half and seeded
1 Large Red Onion (Pyaz) - diced
6 Cups Low Sodium Vegetable Stock (homemade preferred) - can substitute water if desired
3 Tbs Madras Curry Paste - recipe follows
2 tsp
Garam Masala
2 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
1 tsp Kashmiri Chile Powder -OR- Paprika (Kashmiri/Deghi Mirch) - amount to taste
1 tsp Fresh Ground Black Pepper (Kali Mirch)
Kosher Salt (Namak) to taste
Preparation:
- Place all of the ingredients (minus salt) in the crock of a 5 quart slow cooker (Crock-Pot®) - Thoroughly combine
- Cover and cook on low for 7-9 hours (high for 5-6 hours) until lentils are tender - Check once or twice during cooking and add additional water if it looks like all of the liquid is being soaked up by lentils
- Remove lid, raise heat to high (if not already) and continue to cook for an additional 30 minutes to an hour until desired consistency is achieved (final dish should be thick not 'soupy')
- Adjust seasoning with salt to taste
- Serve hot on its own or along with basmati rice, chapatti or naan, and raita or plain yogurt
Madras Curry Paste
Ingredients:
10-12 Dried Curry Leaves (Kaddi Patta)
5 cloves Fresh Garlic (Leh-sun) - crushed
1 ½ inch piece Fresh Ginger (Adrak) - rough chopped
2 Large Fresh Red Chiles (Lal Mirch)* - stems removed and rough chopped
4 Tbs Coriander Seed (Dhania Saabut)
2 Tbs Cumin Seed (Jeera)
2 tsp Black Mustard Seed (Rai)
2 tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
2 tsp Kashmiri Chile Powder -OR- Paprika (Kashmiri/Deghi Mirch)
1 tsp Black Peppercorns (Kali Mirch)
2 Tbs Oil - can use grape seed, canola. vegetable, or safflower oil
3 Tbs Cider Vinegar (Jamun Sirka)
*
I use cayenne peppers for this but you could use red jalapeños, piquillo chiles, fresno peppers, or any
combination of fresh red chiles that you choose (should equal apx 4 - 5 oz) - You can substitute 2-3 tsp of Red
Chile Powder (Lal Mirchi) mixed with little water to make a paste before adding and adjust finished consistency
as needed
Preparation:
- Place a medium dry skillet over medium-low heat
- Add coriander seed, cumin seed, mustard seed, and peppercorns to the skillet and dry roast (continuously stirring) until very fragrant (apx1-2 minutes)
- Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature
- Once cool, place the roasted spices in a mortar and pestle, spice mill, or clean coffee grinder and grind into a fine powder
- Transfer the spice powder to the work bowl of a small food processor or blender along with the remaining ingredients (minus vinegar) and pulse a few times until the wet ingredients are well blended - Continue to pulse adding vinegar 1 Tbs at a time until a thick paste is formed (think tomato paste) - Purée until smooth
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to one month - frozen for up to 3 months
