Rice with Dal in 15 Minutes

Rice with dal is a comfort food for millions of Indians.

Note: This is a weekday recipe that will take 15 minutes or less of cooking time. It also involves minimal effort on the weekend

Cooking after office is a HUGE challenge.

You are tired, drained of energy and the last thing you want is to get your grains, lentils and veggies out, clean, chop and cook a meal. Not to forget doing the dishes once you are full.

You still would wish for a homely dinner – simple food, that satisfies your soul and gives it solace from the day-long mental stress at office.

Alas! You stay alone, away from home. It’s tough, I know.

A couple of weeks ago, I set out for some meal prep that can help me cook a simple meal of rice and dal after office hours.

As chance would have been, I encountered this video that showed how mitha dali (sweet dal) is prepared at Lord Jagannath Temple at Puri. The video is in Odia and you need not worry if you do not understand a thing. I have you covered.

Awestruck and happy at the invention, I decided to give it a try.

The idea is to ensure that you have less dishes, less chopping and cooking to do on a weekday.

Weekend Preparations

Rice had to be done on the same day and hence there is no preparation involved on a weekend.

However, dal needs to be cooked. So we get down to the preparations.

The choice of dal decides the cooking time. For example, moong dal is very healthy and cooks quicker than chana dal and matar dal. You can also use urad dal.

• Take any dal of your choice (urad dal is preferred). You can pre-cook the dal for 3-5 days depending on your need.
• Wash it to remove the dirt and soak it in enough water for minimum of 4-6 hours
• Take a sauce pan or pot and add in the dal and water. Ensure that water is a couple of fingers above the dal.
• Bring this to a rolling boil
• Add in a pinch of turmeric and salt as per taste. We can adjust the salt later too
• Once the dal is 90% cooked, hand-pound the ginger and add to the pot. No need to stir
• Add jaggery (or gur) to the pot, no need to stir
• Let the dal cook for few more minutes
• Take a teaspoon of hing (asafoetida) and mix it in two tablespoons of water
• Add it in the dal, no need to stir
• Switch off the flame and allow to rest
• Cool and refrigerate

Cooking on Monday

The D-day.

We have the dal ready. The rice needs to be done.

Before you leave for the office, wash the rice and soak it in water.

Once you are back in the evening, you will do the following.

• In a saucepan or small pot, add the soaked rice and water. Cook. The rice will be done in 10 minutes because you had soaked the rice.
• In the same saucepan or pot, we will do the dal
• Heat the pot, add in the ghee
• Allow the ghee to heat up and pour in the dal (pre-cooked and refrigerated on the weekend) as per your need
• Let the dal come to a rolling boil
• Check the seasonings. If required, add in salt
• If you want a diluted dal, add in the water and simmer for a couple of minutes
• Switch off the flame
• Add in the whole cumin seeds and give it a stir

Done! Your dinner is done, in less than 15 minutes!

Chop some cucumber-onion salad and you are ready for sumptuous, filling, hearty meal of rice and dal!

Ending Notes

This dinner did not require a lot of dishes. At the end of it, you will have a saucepan or small pot, your plate and a spoon at max.

Please give it a try if cooking dinner is becoming a challenge for you. Avoid eating out.

Your body is a temple, take care of it.