Dahl Soup
Comforting vegetarian dahl soup with panch phoran and asafoetida. Tips for spices, substitutions, storage and Instant Pot cooking.
I created this recipe while trying to copy the soup I love at an area restaurant, which was a little too far away to visit frequently. It's not exactly like theirs, but it's very tasty.
Submitted by: Patrick from Naples, FL
Yield: 6 - 8 servings
- Parboil the split peas, then simmer them in vegetable broth until soft. Temper panch phoran and asafoetida in butter and add mashed tomatoes for flavor.
- Panch phoran and asafoetida are strong; buy them at Indian or Middle Eastern markets or online. Adjust amounts to taste and avoid burning the spices.
- This soup stores well. Refrigerate for 5 to 6 days or freeze up to 2 to 3 months. Reheat gently and add broth if it thickens.
Spices
Featured in this Recipe
Preparation Instructions:
Pick through dahl to remove any impurities.
Boil dahl in a pot of water for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft but not fully cooked.
Strain dahl and replace the same pot on the stove, on medium high heat. Pour vegetable broth into pot and add dahl. Simmer just below boiling point.
Mash the tomatoes in a large bowl with a potato masher, or other suitable kitchen utensil. Do not discard any of the tomato mixture.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter on medium to medium high heat. May use more than 4 tablespoons, if desired. Add panch phoran and asafoetida to butter in sauce pan. Spices should sizzle and pop. Immediately, add tomato mixture to sauce pan and coat with butter and spices. Turn to low.
When dahl is nice and soft, add contents of saucepan to the soup pot and stir. Add salt to taste.
Ready to serve.
thespicehouse.com
More About This Recipe
Both panch phoran and asafoetida are strong, unusual spices. They are available at middle-east specialty stores. Make sure you have tasted them to get a feel for their strength and pungency. You may decide to add more or less of these spices based on your preference. If the final soup tastes a little weak to me, I will sometimes add more of these spices directly to the pot a few minutes before serving. Panch phoran is a spice mixture. For more information go to: http://www.earth.li/~kake/cookery/recipes/panch-phoran.html You may also want to garnish the soup with cilantro for an authentic enhancement. This soup reheats very well, and because it is vegetarian, it keeps nicely in a sealed container for 5 or 6 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use other lentils instead of brown or yellow split peas?
Yes. Red lentils cook faster and become very soft and creamy, so reduce cooking time and watch the texture. Toor dal or masoor dal work too but may need different cooking times. If you switch, check for doneness earlier and adjust the broth for thickness.
What are panch phoran and asafoetida and where can I buy them?
Panch phoran is a five-seed blend of mustard, fenugreek, fennel, cumin and nigella. Asafoetida, also called hing, has a strong onion-garlic aroma. You can find both at Indian or Middle Eastern grocery stores and online. Buy small amounts first to sample their strength.
What can I use as substitutes for panch phoran and asafoetida?
If you do not have panch phoran, mix equal parts cumin and fennel seeds and add a pinch of mustard and fenugreek seeds if available. For asafoetida, use a small pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder as a rough substitute. The final flavor will differ but remain tasty.
How can I make the recipe vegan or dairy free?
Replace the butter with neutral oil such as vegetable, canola or sunflower oil, or use vegan butter. Temper the panch phoran and asafoetida in the oil the same way. The soup remains vegetarian and becomes fully vegan.
Can I use canned tomatoes or tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes?
Yes. Use a similar volume of canned crushed or diced tomatoes and mash or break them up before adding to the spices. If you use tomato paste, dilute it with a little water because paste is concentrated. Adjust to taste.
How should I store and reheat the soup?
Cool the soup and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days. For longer storage, freeze in portions for 2 to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove over low to medium heat and add a little broth or water if the soup has thickened.
Can I make this dahl soup in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. Add the rinsed split peas and the vegetable broth to the pot. Cook on high pressure for 8 to 10 minutes for yellow or brown split peas, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Use the sauté function to temper the panch phoran and asafoetida in butter or oil, add mashed tomatoes, then mix into the cooked dahl and simmer briefly.
Can I use other lentils instead of brown or yellow split peas?
Yes. Red lentils cook faster and become very soft and creamy, so reduce cooking time and watch the texture. Toor dal or masoor dal work too but may need different cooking times. If you switch, check for doneness earlier and adjust the broth for thickness.
What are panch phoran and asafoetida and where can I buy them?
Panch phoran is a five-seed blend of mustard, fenugreek, fennel, cumin and nigella. Asafoetida, also called hing, has a strong onion-garlic aroma. You can find both at Indian or Middle Eastern grocery stores and online. Buy small amounts first to sample their strength.
What can I use as substitutes for panch phoran and asafoetida?
If you do not have panch phoran, mix equal parts cumin and fennel seeds and add a pinch of mustard and fenugreek seeds if available. For asafoetida, use a small pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder as a rough substitute. The final flavor will differ but remain tasty.
How can I make the recipe vegan or dairy free?
Replace the butter with neutral oil such as vegetable, canola or sunflower oil, or use vegan butter. Temper the panch phoran and asafoetida in the oil the same way. The soup remains vegetarian and becomes fully vegan.
Can I use canned tomatoes or tomato paste instead of fresh tomatoes?
Yes. Use a similar volume of canned crushed or diced tomatoes and mash or break them up before adding to the spices. If you use tomato paste, dilute it with a little water because paste is concentrated. Adjust to taste.
How should I store and reheat the soup?
Cool the soup and store it in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 5 to 6 days. For longer storage, freeze in portions for 2 to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove over low to medium heat and add a little broth or water if the soup has thickened.
Can I make this dahl soup in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot?
Yes. Add the rinsed split peas and the vegetable broth to the pot. Cook on high pressure for 8 to 10 minutes for yellow or brown split peas, then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Use the sauté function to temper the panch phoran and asafoetida in butter or oil, add mashed tomatoes, then mix into the cooked dahl and simmer briefly.
I haven’t made it yet.
Need to know.
Can Olive Oil, or another oil, be substituted for ther butter?
Thanks,
Paul
I must admit, when I first heard of asafoetida, I said no way am I using a spice that has ‘ass’ and ‘foetid’ in its name. Then I heard its also called ‘devils dung’….I’m still not interested. But after more research, I learned of its wonderful flavor after cooking in butter. I had to try it. The smell of uncooked asafoetida is a bit off putting, but not as bad as its name suggests. When I first made this wonderful Dahl soup, I took heed of the authors suggestion to ‘get a feel for their strength and pungency’ regarding the asafoetida and the panch phoran. I used only a teaspoon of each. The soup tasted wonderful! I just made this soup again, using the full tablespoon of each spice and the final product was even better! Highly recommended!