Make Ahead

Masoor Dal Hummus

December 26, 2010
0
0 Ratings
  • Makes about 1 & 3/4 cup
Author Notes

This hummus can be made fairly quickly even with dried beans. I think the mild, slightly earthy flavor of the Masoor Dal (a small, salmon colored, skinned and split lentil) makes a nice base for hummus. If you don't have smoked paprika, cumin makes a nice alternative. —hardlikearmour

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Ingredients
  • 1 cup masoor dal
  • water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 medium clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 to 1 & 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoons cayenne
  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • optional garnishes: butternut squash seed oil or EVOO & smoked or sweet paprika
Directions
  1. Pick any debris from lentils, then rinse well and drain. Place lentils in 2-quart saucepan, and cover with water by about 1/2-inch. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to med-low to maintain simmer. Stir occasionally. Simmer until the lentils are mushy (about 25 to 30 minutes), adding additional water if needed. You want to have most of the water evaporated by the end of cooking, and the lentils should be falling apart. You should end up with about 1 & 1/2 cups of lentil "mash".
  2. Place lentils in a small-medium sized bowl, and allow to cool. On cutting board combine salt and garlic, and use chef's knife to smear them into a paste. Once lentils are barely warm, add remaining ingredients (other than garnishes). Purée using stick blender until creamy and well-mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  3. Transfer to serving dish and garnish with a drizzle of oil and a dusting of paprika. Serve with crudité or pita chips.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

I am an amateur baker and cake decorator. I enjoy cooking, as well as eating and feeding others. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my husband and our menagerie. I enjoy outdoor activities including hiking, mushroom hunting, tide pooling, beach combing, and snowboarding.

17 Reviews

lapadia August 11, 2015
I just made this, used cumin, with extra cayenne and garlic. Delicious!!
My next experiment in the kitchen = to use masoor dal as a base for a chocolate hummus...
hardlikearmour August 11, 2015
Great! So glad you liked it. You'll have to let me know how the chocolate hummus works -- seems like the masoor dal has a mild enough flavor to work well.
lapadia August 12, 2015
RE: chocolate hummus, definitely, will do, and yes I feel masoor dal's flavor has a wonderful mild flavor for something like this!
onetribegourmet January 1, 2011
I love your recipe for Masoor Dal Hummus! Good Luck! :)
dymnyno December 29, 2010
Unique recipe...I get tired of plain garbonzo bean hummus....this is a creative change and sounds healthy.
Sagegreen December 27, 2010
Great recipe. Love the smoked paprika idea, too.
hardlikearmour December 28, 2010
Thanks! I use smoked paprika when I make chickpea hummus, and like the flavor it gives. Cumin is my other go-to hummus spice.
J. A. December 27, 2010
Yummy! I could snack on hummus all day.
hardlikearmour December 27, 2010
Me too! I ate half a batch myself yesterday. Good thing it's reasonably healthy!
TasteFood December 26, 2010
ooh, yum. What a brilliant hummus option.
hardlikearmour December 26, 2010
Thanks!
Ordinary B. December 26, 2010
This looks wonderful. What an innovative hummus! Are the masoor dal lentils the ones that are just labeled 'red lentils?' I have a bag in my pantry (Arrowhead Mills) but they just say red lentils and they are salmon colored and small just like you described.
hardlikearmour December 26, 2010
I think the red lentils are slightly larger than the masoor dal, but would work just as well.
Ordinary B. December 26, 2010
OK, thanks for letting me know. I have bookmarked the recipe!
hardlikearmour December 26, 2010
My sister got a bottle for me while she was living in Boston. http://www.wholeheartedfoods.com/where-to-buy-seed-oil.html
It's got a nice nutty flavor. I imagine any oil you might use in a vinaigrette would work.
hardlikearmour December 26, 2010
Sorry, this was in response to aargersi!
aargersi December 26, 2010
Oh I love the idea of using them as a hummus base! Where does one obtain butternut seed oil (heading over to Google)