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Indian Dal
Indian Dals also
called lentils, dahl
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Indian dals, lentils and Beans online
Dal Recipes
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 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
dals are
Besan,
Moong
Dal Whole,
Urad
Dal Whole,
Urad
Dal Chlka,
Tuvar
Dal/Toovar Dal/Toor Dal,
Moong
Dal (Lentil) with Spices,
Moong
Dal Chilka,
Urad
Dal without skin,
Kala
Channa,
Kabuli
Chana,
Moong
Dal Split and without Skin,
Masoor
Dal,
Channa
Dal, Rajma
Spices and
seasonings for dals
Cumin
Seeds |
Red
Chillies |
Mustard
seeds |
Ghee
or oil for base of seasonings |
Ginger
Paste a must in most dals |
Garlic
Paste is sometimes used in dals |
Coconut
shreds (optional) |
Tamarind
or lime juice or fresh tomatoes or amchur powder to flavor the dal sour |
Jaggery,
maple syrup, brown sugar or palm sugar to flavor the dal sweet (optional) |
Sambhar
Powder to make the popular southIndian dal called sambhar |
Garbanzo
spice package to make the popular North Indian beans called Channa |
|
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
Dal |
Quantity |
Water |
Pressure cooking time after the pressure comes on |
Tur/Tuvar, Massor |
1 cup |
3 cups |
7 mins |
| Moong dal |
1 cup |
3 cups |
5 minutes |
Whole Masoor |
1 cup |
4 cups |
12 min. |
Whole Moong |
1 cup |
4 cups |
15 min. |
Moong split with skin |
1 cup |
4 cups |
6 min. |
Channa |
1 cup |
3 cups |
8 min. |
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.
Lentils
Cooking details in a pot:
Shop
here for Indian dals, lentils and Beans |
| Lentil |
Soaking time |
1 cup
dried
Lentil
to water ratio |
Cooking
time
after the water
comes to a boil |
Toordal
[Yellow Split Pea] |
does not need soaking |
4 cups water |
25 minutes |
Moongdal(Whole)
[Mung Bean] |
25-40 minutes. |
5 cups water |
20 minutes. |
Moongdal(Split)
[Split Husked
Mung Bean] |
does not need soaking |
4 cups water |
20-30 minutes. |
Uraddal
[Split Urd] |
does not need soaking |
3.5 cups water |
20 minutes. |
Chanadal
[BengalGram/Split] |
does not need soaking |
3.5 cup water |
30 minutes. |
Masoordal
[Orange/Split
Red Lentil] |
does not need soaking |
3.5 cups water |
20 minutes. |
Kaala Chana
[Black Chick Pea] |
4-6 hours |
4 cups water |
30-40 minutes. |
Shop
here for Indian dals, lentils and Beans
Click
here to purchase Indian lentil Convenient Cooking products - we carry the following dals
with a spice package and detailed cooking instructions
Punj Ratni Dal
Dal Masala
Dal Rajasthani
Dal Makhani
Shop
here for Indian dals, lentils and Beans
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