Malaysian Dhal Curry with Saffron and Fresh Herbs

About This Recipe

Dhal is a staple across Malaysia's Indian-Malaysian community, lentils simmered with onion, garlic, and warm spices until they break down into a thick, deeply savory curry, often served alongside roti canai or rice. This version adds a pinch of saffron for color and a fragrant, floral edge, along with a generous finish of fresh herbs, a slightly more elevated take on the everyday dish. The technique for good dhal is the tempering (tarka) step -- whole spices like mustard seeds and cumin are fried in ghee or oil until they pop and release their oils, then poured over the finished, simmered lentils just before serving, which adds a final layer of aromatic depth that simply cooking the spices into the lentils from the start doesn't achieve. The lentils themselves need a genuine simmer, 30-35 minutes, until fully soft and starting to break down into a creamy consistency. Served with rice or roti canai, this dish reflects the deep Indian culinary influence within Malaysian cooking, brought by Tamil and other Indian immigrant communities over generations.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1.5 cupsred lentils(rinsed)
• 4 cupswater or vegetable stock
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspgrated ginger
• 1 tspturmeric
• 1 pinchsaffron threads
• 2 tbspwarm water(for blooming saffron)
• 2 tomatoeschopped
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 tbspghee or oil
• 1 tspcumin seeds
• 1 tspmustard seeds
• 2dried red chilies
• 2 tbspchopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbspchopped fresh mint

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the saffron

   Steep saffron threads in warm water for 5-10 minutes.

2. 2

   Simmer the lentils

   Combine lentils, water or stock, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and salt in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30-35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are soft and creamy.

3. 3

   Add tomato and saffron

   Stir in chopped tomatoes and the bloomed saffron. Simmer 5-10 more minutes until the tomatoes break down.

4. 4

   Make the tempering

   Heat ghee in a small pan, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and dried chilies. Cook until the mustard seeds pop and the mixture is fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.

5. 5

   Pour over the dhal

   Pour the hot tempering directly over the finished dhal.

6. 6

   Finish and serve

   Stir in fresh cilantro and mint just before serving with rice or roti canai.

Variations

• •

  Use yellow split peas instead of red lentils for a heartier, more textured dhal.

• •

  Add coconut milk for a richer, South Indian-influenced version.

• •

  Skip the saffron for a simpler, more traditional everyday dhal.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days; it thickens as it cools, so add water or stock when reheating. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions