recipe
Dal Adas: southern Iranian spicy red-lentil stew
An approachable southern Iranian red-lentil and potato stew with garlic and turmeric, finished with lemon when tamarind is not on hand.
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Ingredients and method
Ingredients
- 1 US cup dry split red lentils, picked over and rinsed
- 1 medium Yukon Gold potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or less to start
- 2 1/2 US cups hot water, plus a little more as needed
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice to finish, with additional lemon only after tasting
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt to start, plus more as needed
- Plain kateh rice or flatbread for serving
Method
- Pick over the dry red lentils and rinse in a fine strainer until the water is less cloudy. Cut the potato into evenly small cubes so it will soften in the same pot; keep the cubes separate from the lentils until needed.
- Heat the oil in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it has softened and taken on light-golden edges. Add garlic, stir briefly, then add turmeric, cayenne and tomato paste. Stir over moderate heat until the paste darkens a little without sticking or burning.
- Stir in the lentils and potato cubes, then pour in 2 1/2 cups hot water and the first 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a gentle boil, reduce to a simmer and partly cover the pan.
- Cook, stirring from the bottom regularly, until the potato pieces are tender and the lentils have begun to collapse into a thick sauce. Begin checking after about 15–20 minutes; size of dice and lentil age change the required time. Add a splash of hot water if the stew catches or thickens before the potato is done.
- When the potato is completely tender, stir in the lemon juice and taste. Adjust salt, cayenne and lemon gradually. The stew should be thick but spoonable; stir in a little hot water if needed. Serve with rice or bread and refrigerate leftovers promptly.
Red lentils, not green lentils
Dal adas (دال عدس) is documented by Homa as a tangy, spicy dish of southern Iran. IranCook likewise describes the southern stew with red lentils (عدس قرمز) and serves it with rice, bulgur or bread. US packages marked split red lentils readily break down; intact brown or green lentils do not behave the same way and should not be substituted without reworking the recipe.
Both sources use onion, garlic, tomato paste, potato, turmeric and some acidity, but their proportions and staging differ. This version takes Homa's one-cup red-lentil and two-and-a-half-cup water foundation, not IranCook's larger lentil-and-water batch.
Lemon finish is a documented alternative, not tamarind
Both primary versions describe tamarind. Homa specifically lists fresh lemon juice as an optional alternative, while IranCook uses a more concentrated tamarind quantity, more tomato paste and adds diced potato later. This recipe clearly labels lemon as an accessible variation, not an exact tamarind conversion or the only southern method.
Start with the smaller cayenne amount if you prefer mild food, then increase it after cooking. This version keeps the seasoning simple: turmeric, garlic and cayenne, without Homa's additional curry spice, cinnamon or cardamom. Vegetable oil makes the stew dairy-free; check bread accompaniments separately.
Finish by tenderness and store promptly
Thick red-lentil stews can scorch when neglected. Keep a gentle simmer, stir to the bottom and avoid adding sour ingredients before the potato has become tender in this method.
Follow FDA clean/separate/cook/chill handling guidance and refrigerate moist leftovers within two hours, or one hour above 90°F.
Research sources
- Homa — Dal Adas, Persian Mama (checked 2026-10-22)
- IranCook — طرز تهیه دال عدس (غذای تند جنوبی) (checked 2026-10-22)
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration — Safe Food Handling (checked 2026-10-22)