Organic Spices | Lentils | Rice | Grilling | Vegetarian Foods | Vegan Products | Recipes | Curry | Mithai | Chai | Massage | Snacks | Healthy Pantry

Indian Dal Lentils
Indian Dals also called lentils, dahl
Shop Indian dals, lentils and Beans online 

Dal Recipes

Cooking Lentils - Nature's Perfect Food
The World of Dals and Lentils - Versatile
Dal is what chicken soup is in the west - comforting food.  Dals or lentils, peas and beans are cooked practically daily in almost every Indian home, vegetarian or not. Each region has its own dal favorites and cooking methods. Some are cooked with garlic and ginger, in addition to the staple spices of turmeric, cumin and coriander. Dals can range from spicy-sweet to scorching hot, soup like or like creamed thick soup or dry like a pilaf.
Lentils form an important part of any Indian meal and you can make it an important part of your diet. It is good for the environment too as it has a small carbon footprint unlike other proteins. They are a tasty way to get your protein for the day. India has a variety of lentils cooked different spices in different ways in different parts of India and this means you can enjoy a different dal everyday!

The most popular Indian Dal Lentils are

Ajika Channa Dal or Bengal Gram Lentils ,  Ajika Urad Dal White Lentils (Urid, Black Gram) ,  Ajika Masoor Dal Red Lentils ,  Ajika Masoor Dal Brown Lentil Whole ,  Ajika Moong, Mung Yellow Lentil Split ,  Ajika Kabuli Chana, Chole, Chickpea, Garbanzo Beans ,  Ajika Kala Channa Black Garbanzo Chickpea Beans ,  Ajika Whole Green Moong (Mung, Dal) Beans ,  Ajika Urad Whole Lentil (Black Beluga, Urd, Urid ) ,  Ajika Urad Dal Black Lentils (Black Beluga, Urd, Urid ) ,  Ajika Moong Dal Split With Green Skin Indian Mung Lentils ,  Ajika Tuvar Dal Indian Lentils (Toor, Tur, Tuar, Tovar) .

Indian Beans 
Ajika Kabuli Chana, Chole, Chickpea, Garbanzo Beans ,  Ajika Chori Dal Beans Or Indian Adzuki Beans ,  Ajika Black Eye Peas, Blackeye Beans, Lobia, Lobiya, Chawli ,  Ajika Kala Channa Black Garbanzo Chickpea Beans ,  Ajika Rajma Kidney Red Beans ,  Ajika Kabuli Channa or Chole Large Garbanzo Beans ,  3.5 Litre Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker .

 Lentil Meals, Soups, Stew
Ajika Five Jeweled Lentil Meal Dish With Seasonings ,  Ajika Dal Masala Lentil Mix With Seasonings ,  Ajika Moong Dal Lentil Mix With Seasonings ,  Ajika Dal Rajasthani Blend With Spices ,  Ajika Rice Lentil Kitcharee Instant Meal Mix With Spices & Jaggery ,  Ajika Kitchari Blend - Rice and Mung Lentil Stew Mix ,  Ajika Lentil Rice Medley .

Spices and seasonings for dals

Beans & Lentil Spices
Ajika Organic Dal Masala Lentil Spices, Seasoning ,  Ajika Organic Punjabi Chhole Bean Chili Spices, Seasoning ,  Ajika Organic Rajmah Beans and Stew Spices, Seasoning ,  Ajika Dal Masala Spices, Seasoning ,  Ajika Mumbai Coconut Lentil or Dal Spices ,  Ajika Sweet and Sour Dal Spice Mix ,  Ajika Rajmah Spices, Seasoning - Kashmiri Seasoning for Beans and Stews ,  Ajika Chhole Punjabi, Channa Masala Garbanzo Spice

How to cook Lentils /dal / dhal/ grams / peas:

Dal or Lentils is the staple food in every Indian home. Both the rich and the common person who lives on the street enjoy it. It is what chicken is to the west – it is India’s comfort food and also It’s usually the starter of every meal eaten with hot steaming rice or with freshly made chapati (leavened bread) straight off the girdle. Dal is every man’s meal and one of the healthy dishes in an otherwise red hot-chilly pepper Indian diet. The desert cuisines of Indians use an immense variety of pulses and preserves to substitute for the relative lack of fresh vegetables.  It is also dried with spices to produce spice capsules to add to foods. The world of dal in India is truly one of India's culinary gem. 
Most dals do not need soaking.  They may be boiled with turmeric and ginger and then seasoned with sautéed onion and tomatoes.  Roasted or oil sizzled cumin seeds adds an extra dimension to dals and aids in digestion of dals.

Tempering Dal or Spicing Dals
The tempering, or seasoning, is what makes the dal come alive.  Turmeric gives dal the lovely golden hue. Dal is fat free and nature has designed it to absorb various combinations of seasonings and spices.  There are innumerable variations of the simple seasoning and one can create their own individual taste. The standard ingredients include mustard seeds, jeers, red chilies or chili powder, hing/asafetida, onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, garam masala, curry leaves. The fat of choice is ghee in the dal.  Oil brings in a acidic after taste but if one is a vegan we suggest sunflower oil.  seasonings are enhances in the ghee medium pushing their curative properties higher.  Dals are commonly garnished with fresh chopped coriander and served hot.

Dal Common Vegetable Combinations
Dal + greens.
Dal  + pumpkins, squash
Dal + Carrots

Dal Common Preparation Methods
Dry dal. 
Sprouted dal
Dal Soups

________________________________________________________

For Pressure Cooking there is no need of soaking the lentils.  If you are going to cook lentils often it would be a good idea to invest in a pressure cooker

Let the dal cook and open the pressure cooker when the pressure subsides by itself.

Cooking in a pot with a cover - Once the dal comes to a boil, remember to cover it and set on a low flame. While cooking on the stove allows you to constantly check the dal's water level, it takes a lot more time.

Click here for subscribing Culinary Journeys
Indian Cook Books and their Reviews

America's most popular Indian grocery store. Enjoy the tastes of India with elegant high quality foods & groceries at indianfoodsco.com. We have a comprehensive selection including hard-to-find items to make Indian cooking fun and easy!  Indianfoodsco.com, creates a shopping experience with gourmet, healthy Indian food ingredients, grocery and gift baskets delivered right to your door.

tags: indian spices, indian spice rubs, indian spice mixes, indian food, indian food online, indian food store, indian groceries, indian food online, indian food recipes, indian food spices, indian food store, indian groceries, indian grocery, indian grocery store, indian spices online, indian groceries online, indian grocery, indian grocery online, indian grocery store, indian cooking, indian cooking recipes, indian spices, indian spice blends, curries,sauces, mithai (indian sweets) , chai , indian dal, indian ghee, indian chutney & pickles, papadams, indian snacks, indian food gifts, Dals & Lentils, Rice & Pilafs, Tandoori - BBQ, Papad or Papadams, Chutney, Pickles, Curry, Curry Pastes,  Indian Spices, Cooking Indian Vegetables, Massage, Snacks, Indian Food, Indian Dishes

BACK TO INDIAN FOOD

Indianfoodsco.com is an online grocery store offering indian spices, rice, lentils, chutney, papad, pickle, curry, spice blends, seasonings and more.
Powered by TRAVERSE
tel: 952-593-3000
©2002-2010  IndianFoods Company, Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesots, USA.