PF,
I actually have no set dal recipe - most of the time when I cook it, I am trying new things and different combinations. Dal is like soup... there's no one recipe or method of cooking it and everyone cooks it differently! The majority of the time though, I cook a basic “tadka dal” - i.e. cook the dal (lentils) first then cook the tadka (seasoning) and add it to the dal. For the dal, you can use whichever lentils take your fancy. Personally, I am a big fan of the combination of Toor dal (a type of yellow lentil) and Channa dal (split chick peas) but also use Moong dal (mung bean), Urad dal (a type of black lentil) and sometimes even dried Kidney beans (Urad dal and Kidney beans make a good combination).
The first step is to soak the lentils for at least half an hour (unless you are using red lentils - no soaking required - but personally I find them rather tasteless compared to other lentils). If you don't have a pressure cooker, you will probably want to soak the lentils for a few hours 'cause they gonna take a long time to cook! Once soaked, rinse well (in a strainer under the tap) and pop them in the pot with water. I take a guess at how much water to use but I think the ratio is something like 2-3 cups of water to 1 cup of lentils (depending on what lentils you are using - more water for channa dal and moong dal 'cause they really soak it up!). Boil until you get desired consistency (some folk like it mushy, others like the lentils to retain shape - but always the lentils must be soft!). If the dal starts getting dry, add more water. Some folk also add some spices and what-not to the pot while cooking (e.g. turmeric, garlic, ginger, fresh green chili) but I save it all for the tadka. I simply cook the lentils in water, salt it when it's done, and put it aside.
Now for the tadka... heat ghee or oil in a pan (I use lots of either... tastes better that way
) and start adding your favourite seasonings – which can include, but not limited to mustard seeds, cummin seeds, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, asafotida, green chilies, dried red chilies or chili powder, curry leaves, and even curry powders or coriander powder, etc for different tastes. I always start with things like mustard seeds and cummin seeds so they have a chance to pop and crackle and really release their flavour. To me, cummin seeds are a MUST for any dal – if I am going to add one thing to a dal, it's gotta be plenty of cummin seeds! Then normally it's things like onion, garlic and ginger, followed by turmeric (and asafotida if it's your thing). Cook that a bit then add things like dried red chili, green chili, curry leaves, etc. If you like a bit of a sour taste, a tomato is always good - but add it after everything else... the acids pretty much stop everything else from cooking properly. What you add to the tadka is entirely up to you and your tastes - you may want to keep it simple or you may want to go all out – but the most important thing to remember is, your aim here is to really cook everything well so all the flavours are released, but NOT to burn anything! Timing is very crucial!
Finally, add your tadka to the dal and chuck in some fresh coriander leaves to really enhance the flavour. I also like to sprinkle in a little garam masala powder and if you like a sour taste, a good squeeze of lime or lemon goes well too.
I actually have no set dal recipe - most of the time when I cook it, I am trying new things and different combinations. Dal is like soup... there's no one recipe or method of cooking it and everyone cooks it differently! The majority of the time though, I cook a basic “tadka dal” - i.e. cook the dal (lentils) first then cook the tadka (seasoning) and add it to the dal. For the dal, you can use whichever lentils take your fancy. Personally, I am a big fan of the combination of Toor dal (a type of yellow lentil) and Channa dal (split chick peas) but also use Moong dal (mung bean), Urad dal (a type of black lentil) and sometimes even dried Kidney beans (Urad dal and Kidney beans make a good combination).
The first step is to soak the lentils for at least half an hour (unless you are using red lentils - no soaking required - but personally I find them rather tasteless compared to other lentils). If you don't have a pressure cooker, you will probably want to soak the lentils for a few hours 'cause they gonna take a long time to cook! Once soaked, rinse well (in a strainer under the tap) and pop them in the pot with water. I take a guess at how much water to use but I think the ratio is something like 2-3 cups of water to 1 cup of lentils (depending on what lentils you are using - more water for channa dal and moong dal 'cause they really soak it up!). Boil until you get desired consistency (some folk like it mushy, others like the lentils to retain shape - but always the lentils must be soft!). If the dal starts getting dry, add more water. Some folk also add some spices and what-not to the pot while cooking (e.g. turmeric, garlic, ginger, fresh green chili) but I save it all for the tadka. I simply cook the lentils in water, salt it when it's done, and put it aside.
Now for the tadka... heat ghee or oil in a pan (I use lots of either... tastes better that way
) and start adding your favourite seasonings – which can include, but not limited to mustard seeds, cummin seeds, onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric powder, asafotida, green chilies, dried red chilies or chili powder, curry leaves, and even curry powders or coriander powder, etc for different tastes. I always start with things like mustard seeds and cummin seeds so they have a chance to pop and crackle and really release their flavour. To me, cummin seeds are a MUST for any dal – if I am going to add one thing to a dal, it's gotta be plenty of cummin seeds! Then normally it's things like onion, garlic and ginger, followed by turmeric (and asafotida if it's your thing). Cook that a bit then add things like dried red chili, green chili, curry leaves, etc. If you like a bit of a sour taste, a tomato is always good - but add it after everything else... the acids pretty much stop everything else from cooking properly. What you add to the tadka is entirely up to you and your tastes - you may want to keep it simple or you may want to go all out – but the most important thing to remember is, your aim here is to really cook everything well so all the flavours are released, but NOT to burn anything! Timing is very crucial!Finally, add your tadka to the dal and chuck in some fresh coriander leaves to really enhance the flavour. I also like to sprinkle in a little garam masala powder and if you like a sour taste, a good squeeze of lime or lemon goes well too.
