Really good dhal recipe

[SaraBellumHertz]

Twice in recent months I've had the most fabulous dhal and would really like to recreate it.

I'm after a recipe for just the lentils and spices - not additional veg - and live the really thick spicey ones I've had before.

bump, cos I'd like to know too!

This is how I do mine:

Finely chop an onion and a couple of cloves of garlic and fry until softening but not coloured. Add a chopped chilli, some ginger, a teaspoon cumin seeds, a teaspoon turmeric, a teaspoon mustard seeds and red lentils, a load of chopped coriander plus water. Cook until nearly soft (you may need to add more water). Add coconut cream and salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, slice another onion into fine half moons and another couple of cloves of garlic into slices. Fry until coloured then add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and red chilli flakes until popping. Pour this over the top of the lentils (beat the lentils with a wooden spoon a bit first).

It freezes well too.

Right, that is going into my paprika app.

Sound georgous!

Thank you love.

Make the mixture a little stiffer by adding less water & form into a ball. Then you've got rolled dhal.

Sorry!!!! Friend's favourite food joke.

That sounds delicious - presumably I could also make with yellow lentils?

Also what sort of quantity of coconut cream are you talking about? And could I use a touch of regular cream instead?

Totally new to Indian cooking although not eating and would really like to start.

My next question is does anyone have a great aubergine curry recipe - and what is the paprika app

Have just added this to Watch List. Yummmm....

Coconut cream - I use a tub from Sainsbo's or one of the tiny tins from Waitrose but half of that would probably be plenty. It would be fine without but I like the added creaminess.

Yellow lentils - do you mean channa dahl? Yes, I'm sure you could but I think they'd take longer to cook.

Have got a similar recipe for a Trinidadian split pea thing which I'll post later if you want it?

I really love the balance of spices in this recipe

In one pot pour in lentils and cover with boiling water allow to boil without covering.

Whilst this gong on in another pan your going to fry the spices which once done will be added to the lentils.

Add 3 tbls of olive oil to pan.
Add in: 1 tsp of cumin, black mustard seeds and arjwara (sp) seeds
Once they are lightly fried add in 1 large diced/sliced/chopped onion.
Once the onions are slightly browned and 3 diced garlic cloves, an inch of peeled diced ginger and any chilli peppers that you want in diced.
Mix it all together and let all of it brown well.
Check if pot of lentils needs more water adding.
Once everything is browned in 2nd pot and in 3 diced fresh tomatoes and mix.
Once tomatoes have softened add in 2 tsps of salt, half tsp of turmic, 1 tsp of garam masala, 1tsp of ground cumin and 1 tsp of ground coriander seeds in powder form.
Allow spices to cook for 5-10 mins them add all this to the lentil pot.
Give a good mix so all spices mix has gone through the lentils.
Allow to simmer for 20 mins
Serve with rice and plain yogurt

Enjoy your dhal!

For an Aubergine recipe;
Follow the dhal post for the onion and spices mixture.
Once that is cooked add in chopped Aubergine. Depending how big it is you may only need half of the Aubergine.
Stir in the Aubergine well so spice mixture coats it well.
I also add in a chopped bell pepper too.
Cover pot
Allow to cook on a medium heat until Aubergine is cooked.
Give it all a good stir now and again so the Aubergine does not stick to bottom of pan and burn.

I have a great aubergine curry recipe. I'll

Sorry - I'll post it later. Here's my dahl one.
Boil a bag of red lentils with a teaspoon of turmeric and some chopped garlic and ginger. Add some cayenne pepper or dried red chillies if you want it hot. Cook till its soft and blended.
Fry onions slowly in Ghee until brown and soft. Add curry leaves to onion mix and black mustard seeds. When seeds start popping, add to Dahl and eat.

As others have said, you can add coconut cream or milk, and it freezes really well. I do a huge pan, and it last for about three days, with the DC eating it after school etc.

Just to report back I finally made the Dahl following Remus' recipe and it was delicious.

I ended up adding cream as coconut cream is hard to come by where I am and it was very tasty

There was a really good dahl recipe in the guardian a while ago using mung dall. Can't link as am on my phone but it was in the "how to make the perfect" series.

I do the Camellia Panjabi dhal recipe, which is very simple, but the magic ingredient is curry leaves. Makes a huge difference.

I also find that lentils need way more salt than other dishes.

Don't forget, whenever making dahl, to soak the lentils overnight first if you want the lentils to retain a slight bite/crunch to them. They will retain this slight crunch even when the dahl is cooked in a slow cooker - for about 8 hrs, as mine is!

Lentils which are not soaked overnight yield a slushier textured dahl when cooked.

dahl recipe from Guardian. I always make extra onion.