Musuri Dal Begun Diye - Red Lentils with Eggplant

Musuri Dal Begun Diye

I've used Japanese eggplant here, but any variety of eggplant will work as well. The lentils are first cooked until tender, the eggplant cooked separately and the two merged at the end and garnished with ghee, cilantro and green chilies. It's a wholesome side dish which can be accompanied, by chicken, meat, fish or egg curry and served with rice or chapatis.

Ingredients:

1-½ cups red lentils/musuri dal

4 cups water

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

½ tsp. black mustard seeds

2 dried red chilies

2 Japanese eggplants, cut in bite-size pieces and tossed with salt

1 onion, sliced
2 tsp. garlic paste

1 large tomato, diced

Salt to taste

1 tsp. ghee or melted butter

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2–3 whole green chilies

Directions:

1. Wash lentils until water runs clear.
2. Bring lentils and 4 cups water to a boil in a saucepan, lower heat to medium and cook lentils until tender.
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat & add mustard & dried chilies.
4. When mustard seeds start to sizzle, add onions, garlic paste and tomatoes.
5. Cook on medium heat until oil resurfaces.
6. Add eggplant and salt to taste.
7. Cover and cook until eggplant pieces soften.
8. Pour lentils over eggplant, stir well, adjust salt to taste and cook for 5 minutes.
9. Garnish with ghee, cilantro and whole green chilies.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve with steamed rice or naan.