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–+ servings

dal with egg

A simple yellow dal with pickled chillies and a sliced omelette stirred through. Wholesome, flavourful everyday food.
a serving bowl of dal with an omelette chopped into it
prepare: 10 minutes
cook: 25 minutes
total time: 35 minutes
difficulty: simple
yield: 4 servings
calories: 354 kcal
diet: gluten free
cuisine: assamese, Indian

equipment

  • small pot
  • small bowl
  • small frypan
  • wide pan with lid

ingredients

for the omelette

for tempering

for serving

instructions

to cook the dal

  • Thoroughly wash the red lentils, drain, then place into a small pot with three cups of water, the turmeric and salt.
  • Bring the lentils gently to the boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove any foam that appears. If the lentils start to dry out, add a little more water as required. Do not add too much as you do not want a watery dal.

to cook eggs

  • Add the eggs to a small bowl with turmeric and water. Whisk until well blended.
  • Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the egg mixture. Cook for two or three minutes until they start to set, gently swirling the pan to keep egg mixture distributed. Once eggs have started to set, gently fold omelette in half and cook for another minute. Remove from pan and set aside to finish cooking in its residual heat.

to cook

  • Heat the additional mustard oil in a wide pan over medium heat. When hot, add the onions. Fry the onions for about ten minutes, or until they have softened and taken on a golden colour.
  • When the onions have coloured, add the ginger and pickled chillies. Fry for two minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, so that the dal will not spatter when added in the next step.
  • Carefully add the dal to the pan and mix gently. If you prefer a smooth dal, whisk it and add a little water. Be cautious adding water as you can easily go too far and have a dal that is more like a soup.
  • Slice omelette into thin strips and add to the dal.  Check the consistency of the dal and add a little boiling water, if required. The omelette will absorb some of the moisture in the dal.
  • Check seasoning and cautiously add salt if required.

to serve

  • To serve, spoon the dal and egg over plain rice in individual bowls. Garnish with the coriander.

notes

  • 1 metric cup of red lentils weighs about 175g.
  • The more you stir the lentils, the more they will break down. We like our lentils with some texture, but if you prefer a smoother dal, use a whisk to break down the grains before adding to the onion mixture.
  • Pickled chillies are available from Indian grocers. They are called chilli achaar.

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nutrition

Serving: 175 g | Calories: 354 kcal | Carbohydrates: 43 g | Protein: 21 g | Fat: 11 g | Saturated Fat: 2 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g | Trans Fat: 0.01 g | Cholesterol: 123 mg | Sodium: 349 mg | Potassium: 757 mg | Fiber: 20 g | Sugar: 3 g | Vitamin A: 246 IU | Vitamin C: 11 mg | Vitamin D: 1 µg | Calcium: 64 mg | Iron: 6 mg