Dahl Food

SPICY INDIAN DAHL

Steps:

• Cook the lentils by boiling or pressure cooking until lentils are soft. (Pressure cooking is faster.)
• In a skillet heat the oil and add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds begin to flutter, add onions, ginger, jalapeno peppers, and garlic. Saute until the onions and garlic are golden brown. Add coriander and cumin. Add chopped tomatoes. Saute the mixture well until tomatoes are well cooked.
• Add water. Boil 6 minutes. Add cooked lentils, stirring well. Add salt to taste, stirring well. Add finely chopped cilantro and remove from heat. Serve hot.

INDIAN DHAL

Steps:

• Wash lentils thoroughly, remove any that float on the surface, drain well.
• Heat ghee and fry onion, garlic and ginger until onion is golden brown.
• Add turmeric and stir well.
• Add drained lentils and fry for a minute or two, then add hot water and bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer.
• Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until lentils are half cooked.
• Add salt and garam masala, mix well and continue cooking until lentils are soft and the consistency dsimilar to porridge.
• If there is too much liquid leave the lid off the pan to speed evaporation.
• Serve plain or garnished with sliced onion.

DAL

Steps:

• In a large pot, heat the ghee and stir-fry the onions just until wilted, do not brown. Add the garlic, jalapeno, cumin, lentils, ginger, curry powder, salt, pepper, sugar and bay leaf. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes, until the herbs and spices bloom (aromatic). Add the tomatoes and deglaze with the vinegar. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer and cook until lentils are tender, stirring occasionally. Taste and adjust seasoning with cumin, salt, pepper and sugar.
• In a large saute pan, combine the black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cinnamon sticks, and dried red chiles. Over medium heat, cook just until slightly toasted, stirring constantly. Turn off heat and stir in the grated nutmeg.
• Transfer to a food processor and grind to a fine powder. Pass through a fine strainer. Allow to cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight jar. Use as needed.

EASY DAHL RECIPE

Steps:

• NB ALL spices and quantities are adjustable, you can leave out one or more spices. If you like a thinner dahl, add more water. If you like a thicker dahl, add less water. This serves more if used as a side dish.
• Pick through dried pulses for stones or other foreign material in a plastic bowl or ice- cream container.
• Rinse several times by swishing water in this container, like washing rice.
• Place in dutch oven or extra large saucepan and cover with water about two inches over the top.
• Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Drain pot, and save the water for your plants.Cover with fresh water and bring to boil.
• Simmer for about 30-4o minutes until dahl is tender, or mushy, however you like it. You can add more boiling water from your kettle as you are cooking, if you think it's getting dry. Some kinds of pulse take longer than others, and some absorb more water.
• Then stir in tomato and spinach,
• Whilst dahl is still simmering gently, place oil in a small frypan, and heat. Add the spices to the hot oil and fry whilst stirring until the cumin seeds darken and begin to roast 30sec-1&1/2 mins - be careful, the mustard seeds may start to pop and spit.
• As soon as the spices begin to darken and roast, tip the contents into your dahl pot and stir. BE CAREFUL, YOU ARE ADDING FAT TO WATER. STAND BACK FROM THE POT AS YOU ADD.
• Add salt to taste.
• Serve over steamed Basmati rice.