Dal Adas is a simple and wholesome spicy dish from the southern part of Iran. This dish is made with red lentils and has a nice degree of heat because of the ground cayenne pepper that I have used in the recipe. Dal Adas is a vegetarian stew that is served over rice or with a side of bread. This is a quick and satisfying meal with a rich combination of tart and spicy flavors. Red lentils require the least amount of cooking compared to the other varieties. In general lentils cook faster than any of the legumes, which require several hours of soaking in water before cooking.
Lentils are low in calories and high in protein, iron, fiber, and many minerals. The slow absorbing starch in lentils makes them suitable for people with blood sugar disorders. Lentils are an inexpensive source of high quality protein and a perfect addition to any vegetarian diet. This is an ancient legume that originated in Central Asia, but now it is grown successfully in different parts of the world and its culinary use dates back for centuries. Red lentils are used in different dhal recipes across India with some variation of ingredients and spices in different regions.
One can easily prepare a meal with lentils practically in minutes. I love the different varieties of lentils and regularly use brown and green lentils in Adas Polo, Aash Reshteh, and in salads. The green and brown lentils keep their shape and nutty flavor nicely during cooking. I also love red lentils because they absorb the flavors of spices and other ingredients in soups or aash and they are natural thickening agents. When cooked long enough, the red lentils become incorporated into the soups or aash in the form of puree. I add some diced potatoes to give this stew a chunky texture and substance.
I have used shallots in my recipe because of the nice flavor that they add to any recipe especially to this one, but yellow onions will also work here. In addition to the ground turmeric I have used fresh turmeric which has an almost floral aroma with a different flavor than the turmeric powder. Lately I have been noticing fresh turmeric in the produce department of some supermarkets as well as Indian and Asian markets, but if you can’t find it just use more of the powder.
An ingredient that some of you might not be familiar with is “Tamarind,” which you can see in this picture http://www.herbazest.com/herbs/tamarind. Dried tamarind pods are available in some specialty supermarkets. The prepared and packaged tamarind is also available in Persian and Middle Eastern markets. Tamarind is a sweet and sour tropical fruit with seeds that grows in a long pod. You will be able to find packages of prepared “seedless” tamarind, which is what I have used in this recipe. However, I have occasionally found seeds and pieces of hard shell inside the tamarind and recommend checking it carefully. It is worth mentioning that tamarind is a popular snack among Persian children and some adults, so maybe you would like to give it a try when you’re preparing it for this recipe! Tamarind will be soaked and mixed with hot water and then pressed through a sieve to separate the smooth sauce from the chewy fibers. It is this dried fruit that gives a very pleasant tart flavor to this spicy dish.
The fresh turmeric rhizoms (left photo, next to garlic) which are underground stems are a cross between a carrot and ginger. The skin is very thin and orange brown in color and easily scrapes away to reveal a deep orange colored flesh. Fresh turmeric is sold in the produce aisle of the specialty supermarkets, Asian and Indian stores. The seedless tamarind comes in packaged blocks and you can break off as much as you need and store the rest in the refrigerator for several weeks. Place the tamarind in a small bowl and pour hot water over it, smash it with a fork and let it sit for a few minutes. Stir it several times to create a thick sauce.
Use the fork to press the tamarind and water mixture through a sieve or colander with small holes. Collect the smooth sauce in a bowl and set it aside.
Add the thinly sliced shallots to a nonstick 3-Qt saucepan and fry in ghee or butter (vegetable oil maybe used instead for the vegan version) until golden brown. Reserve 1/4 cup of the fried shallots for later. Add the turmeric powder, chopped turmeric and garlic to the remaining fried shallots and saute over low heat for a few minutes until tender. Add the tomato paste, stir and saute until aromatic. Add the red lentils, diced potatoes, salt, cayenne pepper, curry powder, and water to the saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the saucepan and simmer until the potatoes and lentils are tender but firm. Add the tamarind sauce and the reserved fried shallots and cook some more until thickened.
Serve this delicious spicy Dal Adas with rice or bread. I usually have my cayenne shaker at the table in case someone wants to add even more heat to this very satisfying simple dish!
- 4 ounces seedless tamarind (may substitute with 2 TBSP fresh lemon juice or more to taste)
- ½ cup hot water, for soaking the tamarind (leave it out if using lemon juice)
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 medium potato, peeled and diced small
- 5 medium shallots, peeled and roughly chopped (or a large yellow onion thinly sliced)
- 3 TBSP ghee or butter (for vegan version use vegetable oil)
- One 3-4 inch fresh turmeric, peeled and minced (may substitute with ¼ tsp extra ground turmeric)
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp Persian meat spice or your favorite curry powder
- A pinch each of ground cinnamon and cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper (more to taste, if you like it even spicier)
- 1 tsp tomato paste
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 ½ TBSP)
- ½ tsp kosher salt, more to taste
- 2 ½ cups hot water
- Pick through red lentils, rinse under cold water and drain. Set aside.
- Break up the seedless tamarind into small pieces and add it to a medium bowl. Discard any hard shells or possible overlooked seeds. Pour ½ cup boiling water over it, smash with a fork and let it rest for 10 minutes. Stir several times to create a thick sauce. Place a strainer with small holes over a bowl and use a fork to force the sauce through it. You should be able to end up with about ⅓ cup thick smooth sauce. Set it aside.
- Heat ghee or butter in a nonstick 3-Qt saucepan. Add the roughly chopped shallots and saute over medium low heat until golden brown. Remove 3-4 tablespoons of the shallots from the saucepan and set aside for later. Add the minced fresh turmeric and garlic to the remaining fried shallots. Saute 2-3 minutes over low heat until tender. Add 1 teaspoon tomato paste and saute for another minute until aromatic.
- Add red lentils, diced potatoes, kosher salt, spices, and 2 ½ cups hot water to the saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Cover the saucepan, lower the heat to the marking between medium low and low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the potatoes and lentils are tender. Stir several times to prevent sticking.
- Add the reserved tamarind sauce and the reserved fried shallots to the saucepan with the cooked lentils and other ingredients.
- Cover the saucepan and cook for another 15 minutes, or until the Dal Adas has thickened and the flavors have blended well. Stir several times to prevent sticking and burning. Add more water as needed to maintain a soft oatmeal consistency; it should not be thin like soup but it should not be too thick or dry either.
- Serve this delicious spicy Dal Adas with Kateh (quick Persian rice) or a side of toasted bread.
Vegetarian/Vegan comfort food always ‘al a mode’! 🙂
Oh I’m so glad you feel that way! I really enjoy delicious wholesome vegetarian recipes and try to fit a few on our weekly menu.
I made this delicious dinner last night for my family. We ate it with a side of naan bread. The fresh turmeric added a beautiful color and flavor. The tamarind was a new flavor for our family. A couple of picky teenagers thought the tamarind flavor was too strong, so I may cut the amount by half the next time I make this, but it tasted “just right” to my husband and I. I left the table feeling full, healthy and happy. Thanks for sharing.
Karen thank you so much for your comment, and you’re so welcome! I’m glad you and your husband enjoyed it and I can definitely relate to introducing new flavors to some members of the family gradually 😉 Yes by all means, go ahead and reduce the tamarind by half next time so all of you can enjoy this healthy meal. I’m glad you liked the fresh turmeric, isn’t it just wonderful?
I had a second bowl for lunch today. And can I just say that I thought it was even better when the flavors had even more time to merge. Curry/cinnamon is a great combination.
Karen that is wonderful! It is great to know that it tastes even better the next day. I agree with you about the curry and cinnamon combination; all the warm spices in this recipe combined with the heat from the cayenne pepper make it very appetizing and satisfying. Thank you for your comment!
Hi Homa!
You have have very good website!
Persian foods are awesome!
I just want to say that.
Hello Hamid, that is so nice, thank you very much!
Hello, have you ever used tamarind paste instead of tamarind?
Oh I’m sure that would work just fine; I couldn’t find any that is why I made my own paste 🙂 I would not use the paste with added sugar though. Happy cooking!
Hi Homa,
This unassuming lentil recipe is one of our favorites from your whole website! Enthusiastically eaten by toddlers and carnivorous husbands alike!! I cut down the garlic on account of my pregnancy aversion and used lemon juice because the only tamarind I have on hand is the concentrate for Thai food. The combination of fresh turmeric and shallots is really different. We enjoyed ours with a side of yogurt.
Thanks!!
Hi Allison, I’m truly happy all of you have enjoyed this recipe! I agree, the fresh turmeric is something awesome, and I’m a fan of shallots and use them instead of onions whenever possible! As we say in Farsi, Noosh e jan, and have a great holiday weekend 🙂
I made this with tamarind this time and I think I like it with the lemon juice variation better. Baby was a big fan, but then her mouth was all yellow! I also think this is better the next day after the flavors have melded (a good reason to double the batch!)
That’s great to hear that your baby is as adventurous as your toddler; cooking is so much more fun when children are willing to try new food. So glad you are enjoying this recipe and it’s wonderful that you’ve tried both versions. I agree, it’s amazing the next day. I enjoy reading your comments and your adventures in the kitchen. Have a great week dear Allison 🙂
Hi Homa,
I’m so happy I found your recipe and your blog!
My husband and I just ate at a lovely Persian restaurant near Toronto, Canada, and this is what I ordered. I spoke with the owner who said it was his favourite item on the menu.
We are fortunate we live in such a culturally diverse area, so I know all the ingredients will be readily available. I can’t wait to try it. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Mindy, welcome to my blog! I agree, life is so much easier when you can readily find the ingredients that a recipe calls for. I would love to hear back from you when you try my recipe. Thanks for writing to me. Have a great weekend!
Hi Homa,
I got my tamarind today, but might have to freeze some as it came in a 500g box. I see there are ways to that. Wish me luck!
I should add – wish me extra luck, as I got pods, not the block.
Mindy, you will have one extra step, but the outcome will be fine! Just so your know, I usually buy a block of tamarind that weighs 12 ounces (340 grams) and it also keeps very well in the refrigerator for several months; I use it gradually in sauces and aash, and my husband uses it as a very sour snack 😉 Good luck and enjoy!
Hi Homa,
Thank you, THANK YOU!
I made it as directed and it was absolutely delicious! I mixed up your meat spice to use – thank you for posting it as well.
I texted my kids yesterday through my tamarind adventures, and today the finished results and my oldest wants a Persian feast for her 28th birthday at the end of the month. I can’t wait!
Mindy xx
PS I ended up finding a jar of tamarind paste (no sugar) at my local Indian market for $1.99 but I’m happy I got to experience the whole pods.
Hello Mindy; so glad the pods worked for you! Happy to hear that you enjoyed my recipe and also made the spice mix; you’re going to be able to use that in many recipes. A point worth mentioning is that prepared tamarind paste should be used conservatively, as some brands can be almost too sour and dark in color and tend to alter the taste and color of this dish. I wish your daughter a happy birthday and hope your Persian feast will be a success 🙂
Thank you so much for your detailed wonderful recipes! You are my go to site for making persian dishes. Me and my husband Loved the dal Adas. I have made several of your recipes and it always turns out wonderful.
Ima; it’s a pleasure to hear from you! I’m very happy that both of you loved this recipe. Reading comments like yours simply makes my day 🙂 Please keep in touch and write me whenever you try any of my recipes. Thank you and have a great week!