Dhal Food

DHAL

Steps:

• Wash lentils and pick out all the brown bits (as otherwise this will color the dahl a brown color).
• Wash; place in a medium saucepan and cover with water 3-4 inches above lentils. Simmer for 45 minutes (lentils should be very soft when cooked), skimming the foam off the top of the water occasionally. Top up with extra water, if necessary.
• Strain lentils, retaining the liquid. Blend lentils with some of the liquid in blender until smooth. Add more water if necessary--blend should be like a thick paste. Put to one side.
• Place oil in medium saucepan. Add the mustard seeds and cook stirring until the seeds start to pop. Immediately add the onions and garlic. Cook, stirring until onions are soft. Add all the spices; stir and cook for another minute or two. Add the pureed lentils and stir well until fully mixed.
• This freezes extremely well. Serve with curry and rice as an accompaniment.

DHAL RECIPE

Steps:

• Sieve through the lentils with a colander.
• Rinse with water a few times.
• Soak the lentils in water for a few hours.
• Bring the water to a boil. Add the lentils to the boiling water, then reduce to a simmer.
• Add one teaspoon of turmeric powder.
• Cook until it turns soft, which will take about forty-five minutes.
• Season the dahl with salt.
• Melt the ghee or butter in a saucepan.
• Add the cumin seeds along with mustard seeds.
• Add the chopped onion and sautéed until lightly golden and translucent.
• Next, add the minced garlic and ginger.
• Add the chopped tomatoes once the garlic starts to turn to light brown,
• Add the ground coriander, garam masala, curry leaves, and dry chiles. Mixed well
• Combine the spices with the soften lentils
• Cook further for a few minutes until it becomes homogeneous.
• Garnish with a dollop of yogurt, some fried shallots, and fresh coriander leaves.

BENGALI DHAL

Steps:

• Wash the lentils in a strainer. Combine the lentils and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add half of the sliced onions and garlic, reserving the rest for later. Stir in the turmeric, bay leaf, tomatoes, and salt. Add the chiles, leaving them whole to add flavor or cut in half to add heat. When the mixture begins to boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook until the lentils break apart and thicken slightly, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the reserved sliced onions; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and continue cooking and stirring until the onion is very tender and dark brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Stir in the rest of the chopped garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and tender, about 2 minutes.
• Pour the contents of the skillet into the cooked lentils and stir. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

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.

DHAL

Steps:

• Add split peas to 6 cups boiling water, salt and saffron powder. Boil for 1/2 hour, or until soft. Using an immersion blender, puree peas. In a saucepan add oil, garlic, and cumin and fry until it is dark brown. Then pour oil in Dhal. Let sit for a few minutes.

DHAL CURRY WITH MEAT (GOSHT DHAL)

Steps:

• Rinse dhal and lentils in some lukewarm water. Soak overnight if you have the time otherwise not necessary. Pour in to large saucepan cover with water, 1 tsp each of the salt and tumeric. Boil like you would do for beans until soft and mushy.
• In a separate saucepan, saute onions, cinnamon stick and cumin seeds in oil till a pale gold colour .
• Add meat and the spices. Stir a few times without adding water.
• Gently cooking the spices, by adding water you don't give the spices a chance to cook, and then you will have a tasteless curry remember this with all Indian food.
• When it starts sticking to the pot add the tomotoe and about half a cup of water.
• Simmer slowly till well blended and the water has dried up.
• Liquidise the dhals and add to pot and some water to the consistency you would like the dhal about a cup of water should be enough. Bring to boil and then simmer slowly till dhal is well blended in, about half an hour. Adding water if becoming to thick.
• When done, make your tempering, heat your ghee in a pan add onion, cumin and mustard seeds and garlic cloves,and fry till nice golden brown. Add to pot of dhal and close lid tightly.
• Just before serving add your chopped cilantro and your gharam malasa. (In Indian cooking gharam masala is always added just before serving as it is a pepping up spice. Stir and serve with white rice/roti etc.

PAKISTANI DHAL

Steps:

• Heat water in pot until boiling.
• Add lentils and boil for one minute.
• Reduce heat to a simmer.
• Simmer lentils until they resemble a thick paste.
• While lentils are simmering, heat oil in frying pan.
• Add onion, garlic and ginger. Fry until soft. Add curry, chili, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper, sauté for 2-3 minutes.
• Add tomatoes and sauté for another 3-5 minutes. Add fried spice mixture into lentil paste, stir and cook an additional 15-20 minutes.
• Serve as is or over basmati rice.

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.