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Yellow Split Pea Dal with Tomato

Yellow Split Pea Dal with Tomato reads allium 5.0, citrus 4.9 and umami 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Indian main, about 1 hr 6 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.2 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 6.3 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.8 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Allium 5.0 · Citrus 4.9 · Umami 4.8 · Sourness 4.7 · Salinity 4.1 · Heat 3.8 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Sweetness 3.0 · Richness 3.0 · Warm Spice 2.8 · Earthy 2.4 · Fruity 2.1 · Floral 1.4 · Nutty 1.2 · Bitterness 1.0

What's in it (16)

• dried navy beans — 237 g
• low-sodium beef broth — 946 g
• turmeric — 5 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• cumin seeds — 5 g
• brown mustard seeds — 5 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• ginger — 15 g
• serrano chile — 100 g
• tomatoes — 411 g
• coriander — 1 g
• salt — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• cilantro — 7 g
• lemon juice — 15 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 6 min (1 hr 5 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 29.8 kcal, 4.1 g protein, 2 g fat, 2.7 g carbs

How it's cooked (8 steps)

1. Rinse the split peas under cold water until it runs clear. Combine them in a large pot with the vegetable broth and turmeric; bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce the heat to low, partially cover, and simmer, skimming off any foam that rises in the first few minutes, until the peas are fully tender and beginning to fall apart, 32 to 34 minutes. Stir occasionally toward the end so nothing catches on the bottom.
3. About 15 minutes before the peas finish, heat the vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and cook, swirling the pan, until the mustard seeds begin to pop and the cumin smells toasty, 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until deeply golden at the edges, 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Stir in the garlic, ginger, and serrano chile and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
6. Add the diced tomatoes and ground coriander to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits, until the tomatoes break down and the mixture thickens into a jammy paste, 6 to 7 minutes.
7. Scrape the entire tomato-onion mixture into the pot with the split peas and stir to combine. Add the salt and cayenne, then simmer uncovered until the flavors meld and the dal is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and top with the fresh cilantro before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Chicken and Rice Enchilada Skillet — Tex-Mex
• Spicy Pepper Chicken Curry — Indian
• Chana Masala — Indian
• Chana Masala with Basmati Rice — Indian
• Spiced Lamb and Rice Stuffed Cabbage — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what allium, citrus, umami mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.