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Mango / Kale Dal

In retrospect I should have put eyes and a mouth on this oblong pile of dal.

For someone who grew up thinking I hated All Things Lentil, I've become quite the fan of dal in adulthood. In fact, I haven't met a dal that I didn't like. This one is the sweetest that I've made (thanks for the mango), which is a nice change of pace.

Speaking of the mango, I must spend a moment raving about one of my favorite kitchen gadgets. I usually adhere to Alton Brown's rule against single-purpose kitchen tools, but my mango slicer has more than earned a spot in my kitchen drawer. I used to be like the "before" shots in infomercials, trying pathetically to cut mango effectively away from the pit. The mango splitter easily glides down and separates the pit from two fleshy halves. It does leave a tiny bit of mango stuck to the ends of the pit, but I certainly don't mind snacking on that part. Overall it's saved me a lot of grief. If you're a mango lover, I recommend you get one.

You may notice that this mango isn't quite ripe. This recipe works with ripe or unripe mangos.

One more thing you should really get before embarking on this recipe is Indian pickle. Note that this is not a traditional pickle. It's more like salty, spicy oil, with some bits of some fruit marinating in it. It is a condiment to be eaten sparingly with a bite of food. If you've ever had a plate of Indian food that started to mush together and feel boring after a while, this is what you were missing. It is the secret ingredient to liven up absolutely any Indian dish, and it is also spectacular on grilled cheese sandwiches. 

There are lots of varieties. Lime and mango are my favorites.


I used this recipe as my starting point and added the kale. It would also be great with spinach.

The Recipe:
1 c urad dal (or other lentils)
4 c water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tb canola oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tb fresh ginger, grated
1 thai chili pepper, minced (optional: remove seeds to reduce heat)
2 mangoes, chopped
2 c kale or spinach, chopped
1/2 c cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp chili powder
Rice, indian pickle and plain yogurt for serving
  • Rinse lentils in a colander
  • Simmer lentils in a large pot with the turmeric and 4 cups of water for 15-20 minutes
  • Meanwhile, in a pan over medium-high heat, saute onion in canola oil for about 1 minute
  • Add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder to the onion and cook 1 minute
  • Add the salt, garlic, ginger, and chili pepper to the onion and cook until onions are soft
  • Add the onion mixture to the lentils, and stir in the mangoes and kale
  • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes or until lentils are soft
  • Stir in cilantro
  • Serve over rice with indian pickle and plain yogurt


The Verdict:
Overall grade: B+
Overall reason: I prefer less sweet dal, but the recipe is good
Time to prepare: 1 hour
Husband quote: 
(unsolicited, while eating) 
"My quote on your blog for this one should be 'MANGO MANGO MANGO MANGO MANGO!'"
me: "Why?"
"Because I like mango!"

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