Spice up your morning with this Breakfast Dal Bowl. This satisfying meal features a blend of warming spices along with plenty of protein and fiber from the lentils to keep you full and energized throughout the morning. You can make a big batch on the weekend and keep the leftovers in the fridge for an easy grab-and-go option for busy mornings throughout the week. To make this warming breakfast last even longer, freeze it in individual portions to have on hand in the months ahead. No matter how you plan to use it, we’re sure you’ll love it just like we do.
Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
- Beluga lentils or whole urad dal work well in this recipe. Both are black lentils, with beluga lentils being smaller in size (they resemble caviar, hence the name). When they reach their desired consistency depends on how fresh they are, which type you use and how quickly you cook them. Lentils should be simmered, not boiled, so they keep some of their structure intact. If you are nearing the end of the cooking time and feel like they could use a little bit longer on the heat, or if the mixture seems too thick or dry, add more water, ½ cup at a time.
- Finely chopped veggies blend into the dal seamlessly, contributing a silky texture to the dish. Try to chop them no larger than the size of the lentils you are using, and opt for finely chopped canned tomatoes over regular canned tomatoes if you’re not using fresh.
- We toast cumin seeds in ghee or butter to add to the dal right before serving, a process known as tadka in Indian cuisine. It adds an extra layer of flavor, aroma and complexity that you simply can’t get if you only add the spices at the beginning. The fat from the ghee or butter helps carry the flavor and, along with heavy cream, adds richness to the dish.
Nutrition Notes
- Plenty of ginger may not only help soothe an upset stomach, but some research suggests ginger may also help people manage certain conditions like osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis by reducing inflammatory markers, joint swelling and pain intensity.
- Tomatoes, and cooked tomatoes in particular, are high in lycopene, an antioxidant that may help protect against heart disease by neutralizing inflammation that leads to plaque buildup in arteries.
- Garlic has a number of surprising health benefits. It contains allicin, a sulfur-containing compound that can help support your immune system. Garlic is also a prebiotic food, so it helps feed the healthy bacteria in your gut.
- Lentils are high in protein and fiber, which will keep you feeling full for longer. Lentils are also high in iron, a good source of phytochemicals and have a low glycemic index, which can help manage your blood sugar.