Split White Lentil Stew (Urad Dal) Recipe

This is another quick and easy dish that can be thrown together after work for dinner, and the leftovers taken to lunch the next day.  It's quite low in calories, and very high in protein and fiber.  It's filling and tasty, and you can't ask for much more when you're dieting.  

Split White Lentil Stew (Urad Dal) Recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup urad dal

2.5 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

1 jalapeno, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon black mustard seed

1/4 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

You'll also need a pressure cooker

Directions

1.  Rinse the dal and cover with 2.5 cups of water.  I had to divide mine into two trays because I have a small pressure cooker.

2.  Add the salt, turmeric, cumin, lemon juice, garlic, jalapeno.

3.  Place trays in the pressure cooker and add about an inch of water to the pot, outside of the trays.  Close the pressure cooker and place on medium-high heat. 

4.  Remove from stove after 3-4 whistles.  Let the pressure cooker cool down for a bit before attempting to open it.

5.  Meanwhile, in the smallest pot or pan you own, heat the olive oil.  Add the asafoetida and mustard seed to the hot oil and turn off the heat.  The mustard seed will start popping, this is how the flavor is released.  Be very careful as to not burn yourself. 

6.  Transfer the cooked dal from the pressure cooker into a serving dish.  Add the olive oil, mustard seed, and asafoetida mixture to the dal and combine.  To retain flavor, but not add calories, I do not add the entire mixture, I just scoop out the seeds and little bit of the oil to add to the dal.  Nutritional information is based on only using about a quarter teaspoon of oil.

Nutritional Information:

Serves 2.  Each serving is:

Calories: 258

Carbs: 128

Fat: 1

Saturated fat: 0

Protein: 48

Fiber: 32

Sodium: 306