Dal Bhat

Dal Bhat (Nepalese Lentil Soup with Rice and Vegetable Curry)

A traditional Nepali daily meal of steamed rice, soupy lentil dal, a seasonal vegetable curry (tarkari) and a tangy pickle (achaar), served together on a plate and eaten by mixing everything together with the fingers.

Prep

20 min

Cook

50 min

Total

70 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) basmati or long-grain white rice, rinse until water runs clear
• •250 g (8¾ oz) red lentils (masoor dal), skinless; pick over and rinse
• •40 g (1.4 oz) ghee, divided; plus more for serving
• •1 medium red onion, finely chopped
• •1 tbsp ginger, finely grated
• •3 cloves garlic, crushed
• •2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• •1 tsp ground turmeric
• •1 tsp ground cumin
• •1 tsp ground coriander
• •0.5 tsp Kashmiri chili powder, substitute mild paprika + pinch cayenne; adjust to taste
• •1 whole dried bay leaf
• •1 whole dried red chili, optional, for heat
• •2 L (8½ cups) water, divided, plus more as needed
• •10 g (0.35 oz) fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
• •2 tbsp lemon juice, fresh; to finish
• •1 tsp salt, to taste; start here and adjust
• •500 g (1.1 lb) mixed seasonal vegetables, e.g. potato, cauliflower, green beans, carrot, spinach or pumpkin; cut into bite-sized pieces
• •0.5 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi), optional but traditional; or use 0.25 tsp ground fenugreek
• •100 g (3½ oz) fresh radish or cucumber, for the achaar (pickle)
• •0.5 tsp roasted Nepalese/Sichuan timur pepper or black pepper, for achar; substitute black pepper
• •1 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil, for the achaar

Steps

1. 1 Cook the rice: Combine the rinsed rice with 600 ml (2½ cups) water and a pinch of salt in a heavy pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and steam for 12–15 minutes until the water is absorbed and grains are tender. Let rest, covered, off the heat for 10 minutes; fluff with a fork.
2. 2 Start the dal: Place the rinsed lentils in a large pot with 1.5 L (about 6½ cups) water, the turmeric, bay leaf and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding hot water as needed, until the lentils break down into a loose, soupy consistency (it should be looser than a stew — traditional Nepali dal is meant to be eaten almost like a soup).
3. 3 Prepare the tarkari (vegetable curry): While the lentils simmer, heat 20 g (about 1½ tbsp) ghee in a heavy pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook 5–6 minutes until translucent and lightly golden. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. 4 Add the cumin, coriander, chili powder and dried red chili (if using) to the pan and toast 10 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook 3–4 minutes, pressing them down, until they soften and the oil begins to separate at the edges.
5. 5 Add the harder vegetables first (potato, carrot, cauliflower) with about 120 ml (½ cup) water and a pinch of salt; cover and simmer 6–8 minutes. Add quicker-cooking vegetables (green beans, spinach or pumpkin) and cook another 3–5 minutes, until all vegetables are tender but not mushy. The curry should be moist but not soupy. Stir in half the chopped cilantro and taste for salt.
6. 6 Make the tarka (tempered spice finish) for the dal: In a small pan, melt the remaining 20 g (about 1½ tbsp) ghee over medium-high heat until it just begins to foam. Add the fenugreek seeds (if using) and let them sizzle 5–6 seconds — they should turn dark brown but not burn, as burnt fenugreek turns bitter.
7. 7 Pour the hot ghee and fenugreek over the simmering dal (remove the bay leaf first). Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust salt. Keep the dal on a very low flame; it should remain soupy throughout the meal and is traditionally thinned with hot water as it reduces.
8. 8 Make the achaar: Grate or finely chop the radish (or cucumber). In a small bowl, toss with ¼ teaspoon salt, the mustard oil, lemon juice and timur/black pepper. Let sit 5 minutes so the vegetables release their juices and the flavors meld. The achar should taste pungent, salty and hot.
9. 9 Plate and serve: On each large plate or thali, mound a generous portion of steamed rice on one side. Ladle the soupy dal so it pools around the rice, spoon the vegetable tarkari alongside, and top with a small spoonful of achaar. Garnish the dal with the remaining cilantro.
10. 10 Eat as Nepalis do: using the right hand, mix a little rice, dal, tarkari and achaar together; the dal should soak into the rice. Keep extra dal on the stove and hot rice in a covered pot so the plate can be refilled as long as you can eat — the saying goes, 'Dal Bhat power, 24 hour.'