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Skip to content Belur Amma Lentils 🇮🇳 Indian
Amma lentils curry cooked home-style: lentils cooked in an onion-tomato masala with ginger, garlic and warm spices. A practical Indian recipe ready in about 53 minutes.
Ingredients 🧅 Onion 2 medium, finely chopped 🍅 Tomato 2 medium, chopped 🧄 Garlic 4 cloves, minced 🫙 Ginger 1 tbsp, grated 🌶️ Cumin Seeds 1 tsp 🌶️ Coriander Powder 1 tsp 🌶️ Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp 🫙 Vegetable Oil 2 tbsp 🫙 Lentils 1 cup, rinsed 🌶️ Red Chili Powder 1 tsp Optional extras 🌿 Fresh Cilantro 2 tbsp, chopped 🌿 Curry Leaves 1 sprig 🍋 Lemon 1/2, juiced Instructions 1 Prepare the lentils and chop the onion, tomato and aromatics.
2 Heat the vegetable oil, crackle the cumin seeds, then fry the onion until deep golden.
3 Add ginger, garlic and tomato with turmeric, chili and coriander powders; cook until the oil separates from the masala.
4 Add the lentils with 1½ cups water and simmer until thick and creamy, mashing a few pieces to thicken.
5 Finish with cilantro and lemon; taste for salt and serve hot with rice or roti.
Chef's tip
Bhunao patiently: fry the masala until the oil separates before adding the main ingredient.
Belur Amma Lentils
Time 53 min
Serves 2
Level Medium
Prep / cook 16 / 37 min Ingredients 🧅 Onion 2 medium, finely chopped 🍅 Tomato 2 medium, chopped 🧄 Garlic 4 cloves, minced 🫙 Ginger 1 tbsp, grated 🌶️ Cumin Seeds 1 tsp 🌶️ Coriander Powder 1 tsp 🌶️ Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp 🫙 Vegetable Oil 2 tbsp 🫙 Lentils 1 cup, rinsed 🌶️ Red Chili Powder 1 tsp Optional 🌿 Fresh Cilantro 2 tbsp, chopped 🌿 Curry Leaves 1 sprig 🍋 Lemon 1/2, juiced Steps Prepare the lentils and chop the onion, tomato and aromatics. Heat the vegetable oil, crackle the cumin seeds, then fry the onion until deep golden. Add ginger, garlic and tomato with turmeric, chili and coriander powders; cook until the oil separates from the masala. Add the lentils with 1½ cups water and simmer until thick and creamy, mashing a few pieces to thicken. Finish with cilantro and lemon; taste for salt and serve hot with rice or roti. 
