Indian Beetroot Lentil Dal | Chukandar Dal

Peel the fresh beetroot and cut into fine, small cubes. Finely chop the yellow onion. Peel and finely grate the fresh ginger and garlic cloves. Halve the chilli pepper lengthwise, remove the seeds, and cut into thin strips. Thoroughly rinse the red lentils in a fine sieve under cold water.

Bring the basmati rice to a boil in a pot with twice the amount of lightly salted water, then cover and let it simmer gently on low heat for about 12 to 15 minutes until cooked, keeping it warm.

Heat half of the coconut oil in a large pot. Sauté the chopped onion in it for 3 minutes until translucent. Add the diced beetroot, half of the grated ginger and garlic, as well as the turmeric powder and half of the ground cumin, and roast briefly for about 1 minute.