# Need recipe for lentils using this garam masala recipe please!



## salubriousbunny (Oct 21, 2011)

Oh my goodness, I'm so frustrated!  A few days ago, I found a recipe for a lentil soup that called for garam masala, but I didn't have any on hand and I was looking for something quick then so I put it off. 

Now I have had some time and wanted to make it, but I made the garam masala from scratch first. I've never done this before, and used this recipe (because I wanted items whole): 

1/4 cup black cumin seed
2 large bay leaves, crushed
2 tablespoons green cardamom seeds
1/4 cup black peppercorns
1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon chopped fresh mace
4 cinnamon sticks, broken
1 pinch ground nutmeg

(As an aside, I don't have mace, and I only have ground cumin. I was going to sub a pinch less nutmeg for mace, and guess on the equivalent ground cumin to the final powder.)

However, *I cannot find the original recipe to save my life!* 

I'm curious if anyone can offer a simple lentil recipe that would go well with this mix?! I don't want to have to measure out a gazillion more spices when I've already got this made. I have red lentils, fresh ginger, coconut milk, lots of veggies (onions, garlic, carrots, kale, potatoes) available, but only a few tomatoes btw. I know the basic techniques, and veggies, but not the proportions. I'm not used to cooking Indian food often.

Any suggestions? Can you help please!!!


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## againuntodust (Oct 21, 2011)

Basically you just rinse and cook your lentils.  After they're done, in a separate pot you add some oil, some onion, some garlic, some chilis if you want, cumin seeds, mustard seeds... then add about a tablespoon of garam masala to it.  Then add the lentils.  That's it.

Here's a recipe you can try, just substitute garam masala for curry paste.  Red Lentil Curry Recipe - Allrecipes.com

And here's another, this one will come out better, Dal Tadka - YouTube just add 1tbsp of garam masala at the end of cooking


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## Timothy (Oct 21, 2011)

I don't have one of my own, but found this one:

Red Lentil Soup with Garam Masala


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## CWS4322 (Oct 21, 2011)

I have heard that adding a dried curry leaf to the garam masala mix is "traditional" in some areas/families.


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