Dal Bhat (Nepali Lentil Soup with Rice)
Local name: दाल भात
In short: Everyday Nepali lentil soup tempered with cumin, chilies, garlic and tomato, ladled over steamed rice and served with pickle. It takes about 1 h in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Dal bhat, lentil soup with rice, is the meal most Nepalis eat once or twice a day, from city apartments to mountain trails. The dal is thin and soothing, finished with a sizzling tempering of ghee, cumin, dried chilies, garlic and tomato. It is served with rice and whatever else the house has: a vegetable curry (tarkari), greens, a sharp pickle (achar) and sometimes a papad. Refills are part of the custom.
Instructions
- Put the dal, water and turmeric in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam, lower the heat, partly cover and simmer for 30 minutes until the dal is very soft. Split red lentils need only 15 minutes.
- While the dal cooks, put the rice, water and salt in a pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, then rest off the heat for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the dal lightly with a spoon until mostly smooth. Stir in the salt and add hot water until it has the consistency of a thin soup.
- For the tempering, heat the ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin, fenugreek, chilies and jimbu and cook for 20 seconds until they sizzle.
- Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes until golden. Stir in the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then add the tomato, coriander and chili powder and cook for 3 minutes until jammy.
- Pour the tempering into the dal, stir, and simmer for 5 minutes. Scatter with fresh coriander.
- Serve the rice with the dal in a bowl alongside, with pickle and a vegetable dish if you have them.
Tips
- No jimbu, the dried Himalayan herb? Use a pinch of asafoetida (check the label for a gluten-free brand, as some are cut with wheat flour) and 1/4 teaspoon of onion powder for a similar savory, garlicky note.
- A pressure cooker cooks toor dal in 12 minutes at high pressure. Release the pressure naturally and then temper as usual.
Questions and answers
What does dal bhat mean?
Dal is lentil soup and bhat is cooked rice. In Nepal the meal usually comes with a vegetable curry (tarkari) and a pickle (achar), which is why it is often called dal bhat tarkari.
Can I use other lentils for Nepali dal?
Yes. Toor dal, split red lentils, moong dal and black lentils (maas ko dal) are all used. Red lentils cook fastest, in about 15 minutes.
Can I make dal ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. It thickens as it cools, so loosen it with hot water when reheating.
How long does it take to make Dal Bhat (Nepali Lentil Soup with Rice)?
About 1 h in total: 15 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Dal Bhat (Nepali Lentil Soup with Rice)?
About 520 kcal per serving, with 18 g of protein, 92 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 520 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 18 g |
| Carbohydrates | 92 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 3 g |
| Sodium | 870 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
