Sprouted Whole Masoor Dal

Sprouted Whole Masoor Dal is a healthy, delicious, and flavorful recipe. This nutritious dal is made with sprouted brown lentils and aromatic Indian spices. Enjoy this lightly spicy dish with some rice, roti, or bread. It makes a perfect weekday meal option that comes together in under 30 minutes!

Brown lentils or whole masoor is very nutritious and loaded with protein. Lentils add a high fiber and high protein element to any vegetarian meal. Sprouting the whole grains reduces the amount of starch they contain, amps up their nutritional value, and makes them easy to digest. Sprouting grains and legumes decreases their phytic acid content, which improves iron absorption by up to 50% 

There are various ways of making this whole masoor dal. You can make this curry in a pressure cooker or in an instant pot but I feel it tastes the best when made on a stovetop. Brown lentils cook really fast on the stovetop and taste absolutely amazing without getting mushy. My family enjoys stovetop masoor dal rather than pressure cooked one.

In Maharashtra, whole masoor dal is known as masoorachi usal in Marathi language. Goda masala is added for that authentic Maharashtrian taste with or without adding onion and garlic in the recipe. I have combined both goda masala and garam masala.  You can completely skip the goda masala and increase the quantity of garam masala in the recipe. 

What Is Whole Masoor Or Lentils?  

Whole Masoor are also known as brown lentils or sabut masoor. These lentils are unhulled versions of split red lentils. These lentils can range in color from khaki or light brown to brownish black lentils. They have a mild and earthy flavor. These lentils are great while making stews, soups, salads, kebab, or burger patties.

Brown lentils are a great source of vegetarian protein, they are high in fiber, vitamin B, zinc, copper, manganese, and many more. 

Ingredients

• Brown lentils
• Onions
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Tomato
• Cilantro
• Mustard seeds
• Asafoetida
• Turmeric powder
• Red chili powder
• Goda masala
• Coriander powder
• Garam masala
• Salt
• Sugar
• Oil

Sprouted Whole Masoor Dal

Soaking And Sprouting

In a medium bowl, triple wash the brown lentils with ample water. Next, soak the lentils with enough water for 5-6 hours or overnight.

Place a muslin cloth in a colander, transfer the soaked lentils, and wash them well.

Keep a plate underneath the colander, gather all the sides of a cloth, and tie a knot. Place the colander in a warm place to let them sprout for 12-15 hours or more depending on the climate. 

Next, wash the sprouts very well to avoid any odor in the dal. Set aside to drain out the water completely. 

Making The Dal

Heat some oil in the pan on medium heat. Add some mustard seeds and let them crackle. 

Keep the heat on medium low. Add asafoetida, turmeric powder, onions, and crushed ginger and garlic. Mix everything well and cook the onions for about 5 minutes. 

Next transfer the masoor sprouts. Mix everything, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for about 5 minutes. 

Remove the lid and let the air release for about 30 seconds. Next, add 2-3 tbsp water, mix it well, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. 

Transfer the tomatoes, cilantro leaves, red chili powder, coriander powder, goda masala, garam masala, and salt. 

Add 1.5 cups of water and mix everything well. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the lentils for 5-6 minutes. You can increase the water quantity if you like more liquid in the dal and cook for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with some cilantro and serve.

Tips For Making Sprouted Whole Masoor Dal

• Do not over sprout the lentils or they will taste a bit bitter and will take more time to cook. 
• After sprouting the lentils, washing them is very important – do not skip this step.
• Store the sprouts in a refrigerator for up to 2 days to make them ahead of time. Sprouts can be stored in the freezer safe container for a month in the freezer.  Make sure to thaw them completely in a refrigerator for 7-8 hours and wash them with some water before making the dal. 
• After removing the lid from the pan, it is very important to wait for 30 seconds before adding water or any other ingredient to remove the odor from the lentils. 

Variations

• You can skip sprouting the brown lentils if you wish. 
• Cook the lentil curry in an Indian pressure cooker with 1 cup of water for 1 whistle, lower the heat, cook for 2 minutes, and turn off the heat. Once the pressure is released, add ¾ cup water, mix, and cook the lentils further for about 5-6 minutes. 
• Whole masoor dal can be prepared in an instant pot by adding 1 cup of water and cooking for about 10 minutes on a high heat. 
• You can skip adding onion and garlic in the recipe. 
• Skip goda masala and increase the garam masala quantity in the masoor dal. 
• Add some jaggery instead of sugar, you can add 2 dried kokum instead of tomato with some goda masala for more authentic Maharashtrian style masoor usal. 

How To Store Whole Masoor Dal

Soak, sprout the brown lentils, and store them in the refrigerator for 2 days in an airtight container. 

Masoor dal can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days in a refrigerator. 

Store the usal in a freezer safe container for up to 4 months in the freezer. Thaw the curry overnight in a refrigerator. Heat it in a pot until piping hot and serve. 

How To Serve Whole Masoor Dal

Garnish the dish with some freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves. Serve it on its own as a healthy snack or breakfast. 

It can be served with some Indian mixture, diced red onions, and coriander leaves with some homemade ladi pav. 

Serve the masoor usal with some roti, koshimbir, shrikhand, and varan bhaat as a complete meal. 

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