This kulthi dal or horsegram dal is a delicious filling and nutritious lentil recipe. It is high protein and has good quality complex carbohydrates. Perfect as a soup or main.
Horsegram also known as kollu or kulith is a nutritious lentil. It is a high source of vegetarian protein, Calcium and Iron hence it is given to horses as feed.
It is the most protein rich source of lentil on the planet.
You can try this simple dal recipe. Sprouting it increases its nutrition value but you can also use just soaked and drained lentil too.
Try out my High Protein Horsegram soup for weight loss or Horsegram rasam here.
Horsegram keeps you full for longer with its high protein and fibre content.
It is beneficial to include in your daily diet especially when you are looking for weight loss.
Ingredients
Kulthi or horsegram: You can get it in Indian stores or groceries. This lentil is soaked overnight and used as a dal.
Onion, tomatoes, chillies, ginger and garlic: These are used to flavor this dal. You can use as per your taste.
Spices: Turmeric, cayenne, garam masala and ground coriander are used to season this dal.
Ghee or Oil: This is used to temper the spices and enhances the flavor of dal.
Cilantro: Leaves are used for garnish.
Serving Suggestions
This is served as a dal with boiled rice and a side of salad.
You can also serve it as a soup.
If needed, you can add some vegetables like carrots, beans etc. while cooking the dal. That will add more minerals and vitamins to the dal.
Variations
This is a vegetarian recipe. To make it vegan or dairy free, you can use coconut oil in place of ghee for tempering.
This recipe is gluten free if you skip asafetida or heeng.
Instructions
Wash and soak horsegram overnight. Now take the horsegram or kollu in a pressure cooker.
Add about 3 cups of water, salt, turmeric powder, chopped onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste and green chillies.
Cook for about 5-6 whistles till the horsegram is well cooked.
Let the pressure release normally.
You can also cook this dal in a pan or in instant pot.
Add garam masala powder, coriander powder and mix well.
For tadka or tempering:
Heat 1 tsp. ghee in a tempering pan.
Add cumin seeds and asafoetida and allow to heat for about 30 seconds.
Add grated ginger and garlic and cook till golden. Takes about 2 minutes.
Now add cayenne and turn off the gas.
Add the tempering to the dal and mix well.
Garnish with chopped cilantro or coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis or rice.
Your horsegram dal is ready to serve.
Pro Tips
- This kulthi dal is not as thick as some of the other lentils. If you want your dal to be thicker, take 2-3 tbsp. of cooked horsegram and blend to a paste. Add it to thicken the dal.
- Use spices as per your choice. Always taste and season.
- You can garnish with lime juice if you so like.
📖 Recipe Card
Horsegram Dal | High Protein Dal
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup horsegram Soaked overnight and drained
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 1 tsp. ginger garlic paste
- 2-3 green chillies chopped
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. cayenne or red chilli powder (optional)
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 2-3 pinches asafoetida
- 1 tsp. garam masala powder
- 1 tsp. coriander powder
- 1 tsp. ghee or clarified butter or coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger garlic grated
- Salt to taste
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Instructions
- Wash and soak horsegram overnight. Now take the horsegram or kollu in a pressure cooker. Add about 3 cups of water, salt, turmeric powder, chopped onion, tomato, ginger garlic paste and green chillies.
- Cook for about 5-6 whistles till the horsegram is well cooked. Let the pressure release normally.
- Add garam masala powder, coriander powder and mix well.
For tadka or tempering:
- Heat 1 tsp. ghee in a tempering pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida and allow to heat for about 30 seconds. Add grated ginger and garlic and cook till golden. Takes about 2 minutes. Now add cayenne and turn off the gas.
- Add the tempering to the dal and mix well.
- Garnish with chopped cilantro or coriander leaves and serve hot with rotis or rice.
- Your horsegram dal is ready to serve.
Notes
2. Use spices as per your choice. Always taste and season.
3. You can garnish with lime juice if you so like. 4. You can also sprout horsegram as I have done here by keeping the soaked and drained horsegram covered in damp cheese cloth and washing it 3-4 times in a day with water. Keep it covered. You will see sprouts by evening or next day.
Nutrition
This is a great protein recipe for vegans or vegetarians. Just use coconut oil in the tempering instead of ghee to make it vegan. You can have it as soup also.
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Aruna says
Hi Rachna,
Interesting how you cooked this Dal. In the south, we eat only small quantities of Kollu at a time because it causes tremendous body heat. One question, did you also sprout the dal?
Rachna says
Yes I did sprout the dal. Considering that this is for 6 serves, it wasn't too much of dal per person.