Turmeric Ginger Dal
Why Make It?
This is a versatile dal that can be eaten any time of the day. Fry an egg and grab some yogurt for breakfast time or grill some chicken for dinner time.
Mixing brown and red lentils give the dal more structure while still offering the all creaminess that red lentils provide.
Keys to Success
When cooking the lentils the goal is to keep the brown lentils intact and just cooked through. Keep an eye on them to avoid over cooking.
Adding a splash of vinegar after the dal is done cooking gives balance. A small adjustment that makes dal something you want to eat all the time.
Author Thoughts
I am no expert on Indian cuisine. The internet, Madhur Jaddrey, and the Indian Cookery Course by Monisha Bharadwaj are my main resources. What I find the most interesting about Indian food is its diversity and regionality.
This recipe takes that as inspiration without trying to replicate a specific dal or regional cuisine. Instead this dal provides a simple recipe for those new to dal by using some common and approachable ingredients.
What is Dal?
Dal is the Hindi name for split legumes and it’s used to name recipes that include these split legumes, too. For example, the Hindi name for red lentils is masoor dal. Examples of popular dal dishes include tarka dal and palak dal. Dal is not just used to name lentils but all legumes: chana dal are split chickpeas and toor dal are split pigeon peas.
Soaking and Tadka
Just like beans, there can be some benefit to soaking dal; soaking dal will help them cook faster and more evenly. However, this recipe relies on lentils. Lentils are much thinner than other legumes and will cook evenly without a soak; they will cook faster though. Soak if you wish, but carry on regardless.
The most obvious omission to this recipe is the tadka or chhonk. Tadka is a technique where spices are heated in fat. This tadka is used to top dishes like dal and gives a mouth watering presentation. Tadka is a great technique to layer more flavor, but I don't find it essential here.
For many dal recipes the tadka is the only flavor addition. This recipe uses sauteed onions and spices before adding the lentils to build flavor. I have no doubt that adding the tadka at the end would build even more flavor. If you wish, try making a tadka with coriander seeds, cumin, turmeric, and/or ginger.
Equipment
pressure cooker
Turmeric Ginger Dal
Makes: 5 Servings | Prep Time: 2 min | Cook Time: 27 min | Total Time: 29 min
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown or green lentils
- 1 cup red lentils
- 6 cups vegetable broth
- 1 large onion
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 inch [10 g] ginger
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- kosher salt [~1 tbsp diamond crystal]
- 1 kaffir lime leave [optional]
Instructions
- Saute: Dice onion and saute with oil and salt on medium heat. Cook for about 15 minutes. A minute before the onions are finished. Add the spices, ginger and lime leave if using. Saute for another minute.
- Simmer: Add the lentils, broth and salt to taste. Cook in a pressure cooker for 12-14 minutes. If cooking on the stove, cook until the brown lentils have just cooked through. About 20-30 minutes.
- Finish: When done add the vinegar. Season with salt to taste.
Substitutions
Lentils: If you don't have both red and brown lentils, just use two cups of whatever you have on hand. The cooking time will vary slightly.
Oil: Ghee, or clarified butter, is the typical fat used for cooking a dal like this one. You can substitute the olive oil for ghee. I make this decision based on how many unhealthy decisions I made the day before.
Spices: Coriander would be a great spice option if you don't have either ginger or turmeric on hand. Cardamon, cinnamon, and fenugreek seeds would all work, too.
Vinegar: Tamarind is a more common option to add acidity in Indian Cuisine and dal. Try swapping the vinegar with tamarind water.
Heat: Chili crisps are a great addition if you're looking for some spiciness. Essentially tadka with a different name.
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
The nutrition information is calculated by a database and is an estimate.
The Indian Cookery Course - Monisha Bharadwaj - Link
Serious Eats - Nik Sharma, How to Make Tadka - https://www.seriouseats.com/what-is-tadka-tarka-chaunk-chhonk-baghaar
Youtube - Madhur Jaffrey — A Life in Food: A Conversation with Madhur Jaffrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfqmlxfGWOU