Like varan, this is such a convenient and quick way to cook daal.
I had always made red lentils with onions and tomatoes fried in a tadka of either cumin seeds or paanchphoran. But ever since I watched Radhesh make this daal a few months ago, when she tempered it very simply with only cumin seeds, curry leaves and whole red chilli, I have made it like that more than once. Cooked this way, it has a simple, delicious and wholesome flavor.
Masoor Daal
1 cup of masoor daal (red lentils), washed and soaked for an hour or two
1 and a1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric
7-8 curry leaves
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 (or half of one) whole, dried red chilli broken in two
1 tablespoon of sunflower oil or ghee
Pressure cook the daal in 3 cups of water, with the salt added in, till it is quite soft.
When the cooker can be opened, add the turmeric and blend the grains well with a hand-churner.
Heat the oil in a small pan, then add the cumin seeds and the red chilli. When the cumin seeds start to crackle, add the curry leaves. After a few seconds, add this tempering to the daal, mix in some boiled water if the daal seems too thick and simmer everything together for 5-6 minutes.
Again, like varan, this is just wonderful to eat on a cold winter evening like tonight.
An Indian Kitchen in France 