Mumsnet Dahl and Stewa/ Cassaroles

[MrsMum2011]

Hi All,

I hear a lot about people making Dahl on here, would people be willing to share their recipes and where the more unusual ingredients are found in shops, I shop at Aldi but have a local Asda. Preferably a simple idiot proof recipe would be good.

Also as ira getting colder please share your stews/ casserole recipes. Most that I see are with joints of meat we cant often afford but we do have lots of chicken breasts a few port joints and a few beef joints and lots of mince.

Thanks in advance I love reading recipes.

Dahl is nice and easy and the ingredients are all easy to get hold of too.

I fry some onion and garlic until it's softened then add red lentils, stock, turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, coriander, salt and pepper. Bring it to the boil and leave it to simmer until it's cooked. Done.

A lot of recipes add tins of tomatoes to it but I prefer without.

Do you have rough quantities of the herbs and spices you use for say 4 people.

Thanks you for replying!

I just chuck it all in! Taste as you go and adjust it to how you like it but I tend to use loads of turmeric, about 2 tablespoons at a guess, just a small sprinkling of cayenne but you might like yours spicier than I do and about a tablespoon each of cumin and coriander (I use dried not fresh).

I also forgot to say that I use sesame oil for the frying at the beginning but you can use any type. I like the flavour you get from sesame oil personally.

You didn't mention it but lamb neck is cheap and makes a lovely stew. I brown it off with carrots parsnip and onion, throw in a handful of soup mix (dried pulses barley split peas - one bag is about £1 and lasts forever) then add water and a stock cube and simmer for ages. Serve with boiled spuds or chuck a few spuds into the stock.

Whaaaaat?! Two tablespoons of turmeric? Indians usually use a tiny amount of turmeric so for daal for four people, an eighth to a quarter of a teaspoon. The other spices would be to your taste.

OP, if you have any mustard seeds then the traditional way of making daal would be to heat a bit of vegetable oil with about half a teaspoon of mustard seeds until the mustard seeds pop (put a lid on the pan when they start popping). Then add the lentils and spices. You can add a bit of butter or ghee to the oil for greater depth of flavour.

For tarka daal you would boil the lentils with the spices and then add the mustard seeds, oil, butter mix and stir through.

Sorry yes I know my turmeric quantities aren't the standard. I just really love turmeric, put it in all sorts.

Thank you TheOriginalWinkly I will have try that. Will try to convince DH to get some lamb neck.
Thank you for the help with Dahl it seems I only need to buy Cayenne, mustard seeds.
The coriander, I presume is ground?
With regards to lentils, I'm sorry these are such daft questions, but are you using a tin of lentils or would the dried split red lentils work?

Thank you

I think most people start with dried red lentils to start with as they break down very well. Also, if you have any cinnamon sticks use a piece about half inch long in the heated oil - it gives a lovely flavour. Good luck!

This is an easy tarka dal recipe which doesn't need to many different spices. Buy your spices from the Asian food section of the supermarket, as they're so much cheaper than those puny Schwartz-type pots! The lentils and other dried pulses are cheaper in that section too.

Thank you all, I'm going to look to try these recipes in the next two weeks. Thank you for your help. Have put the ingredients on this weeks shopping lost.

Squeeze a wedge of lemon over the dhal just before serving.