Slow Cooker dhal tastes bitter

[floppybit]

Just made dhal for the first time, was really excited to try it and it's absolutely vile!! Had to bin it. It was really bitter tasting and I can't work our why. I hadn't added any fried spices which could have been burned so it wasn't that. Does anyone make this regularly, and if so, do you have a recipe you can share?

that's weird, usually tastes good when I make it.

I usually make it tarka style, so cook the lentils in with a bit of turmeric, Fry onions and spices on the hob together then add to the pot maybe an hour or two before it's due to finish to allow the flavours to meld together.

never had it bitter tasting though, could it be an ingredient you added?

Could your garlic have been a bit old? That can sometimes give a bitter taste.

Which recipe did you use?

I don’t usually use the slow cooker because I’ve got a quick recipe that takes about 20 mins.

www.tinnedtomatoes.com/2013/10/spinach-and-coconut-dal.html?m=1

As I did it in the slow cooker I put onions etc in at the beginning, not fried as I'm on SlimmingWorld

I’ve read that you should add pepper at the end of slowcooking, as it can go bitter with a slow cook. Did you use a lot of pepper?

I normally fry onions, garlic, ginger in butter and oil. Add spices, cook a bit more. Add lentils and stock, salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar then simmer until done and throw a handful of spinach leaves in to wilt at the end.

Hmm, I did add pepper, but not loads. I'm trying to avoid the frying bit as I'm on a diet, that's why I did it in the slow cooker. It did dry out at one point and I had to add more water. I'm not giving up, trying again tomorrow!

I have read that sometimes onions can taste funny if you cook from scratch in a slow cooker (not that I have ever noticed)

How old are your beans? Are they particularly dusty? Rinse and rinse again with fresh water.

Perhaps bring your dhal to the boil on the stove top first and immediately drain and pop in the slow cooker with fresh water to finish off.

That's why it tasted bitter. You cannot make a proper dhal without plenty of oil to cook the spices in.

What Kevin said.

A bit of oil will not hinder your weight loss, & sometimes it's essential in a recipe.
Sugar is the real enemy, not fat/oil - so make proper dhal & don't even think about Indian sweets, LOL