terryr@fogno.corp.sgi.com (Terry Reynolds) (04/13/91)
YAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOO! (an ecstatic expression!)
A wonderful collection follows. Thanks to all who made my day!!!
: )
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From: jj@alice.att.com Tue, 9 Apr 91 16:14:00 EDT
Um, it's "dal".
(At least in east-coast indian restaurants)
Unfortunately, there are about as many recipes as there
are cooks. The basic ingredients are
Ghee (clarified butter, can use oil)
Garlic or onion
Asofoetida (some hate it and leave it out)
Mustard Seed
Dal (usually red dal, but others work well, i forget the indian name)
water, and the typical indian spices.
Julie Sahni's cookbook might be more specific.
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From: Terri Huggett <huggett@sequent.com> Mon, 8 Apr 91 17:00:21 -0700
This is a recipe for one of my favorite dal dishes. Hope it comes
close to what you seek. This dish also improves with time. By the
way, the cookbook is VERY GOOD.
Bengal Red Lentils with Spices
(Bengali Masar Dal)
>From Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cooking, Julie Sahni
For cooking the dal:
1 1/2 cups red lentils (masar dal) 4 1/2 cups water
6 hot green chilies 1 1/2 tsps salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
For flavoring the dal:
4 Tbsp. usli ghee (clarified butter) 1 Tbsp. grated or crushed ginger
or light vegetable oil 1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 cup minced onion
For the spice-perfumed butter:
2 Tbsp. usli ghee or light 4 bay leaves
vegetable oil 4 dry red chili pods
1 Tbsp. panch phoron mix, 2 tsp minced garlic (optional)
equal quantities of cumin seed,
fennel seed, brown mustard seed,
fenugreek seed, and black onion
seed
1. Pick, clean, wash and cook the dal using the red lentils, chilies,
turmeric, salt and water. Put the ingredients in a deep pot; bring to
boil. Stir often to make sure they do not lump together. Cook over
medium heat, partially covered for 25 minutes. Cover, reduce heat,
and continue cooking for an additional 10 minutes or until soft.
2. While the lentils are cooking heat the usli ghee in a large frying
pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the onion and fry,
stirring constantly, until golden brown (about 10 minutes). Add the
ginger and tomatoes and continue frying until the tomatoes are cooked
and the contents reduce to a thick pulp (about 8 minutes). Stir
frequently to prevent sticking and burning.
3. Blend the fried onion-tomato paste and salt to taste into the dal;
continue cooking for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the
flavors have blended in. Keep the dal on a low simmer while you make
the spice-perfumed butter.
4. Measure the spices and place them right next to the stove in
separate piles. Heat the usli ghee in a small frying pan over
medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the panch phoron spice blend.
When the mustard seeds are spaterring and the cumin turns a little
darker (about 15 seconds), add the bay leaves and chili pods.
Continue frying until the chili turns dark (15-20 seconds), turning
and tossing them. Turn off the heat, add the garlic, and let mixture
fry, sizzling for 25 seconds or until it looks light golden. Pour the
entire contents of the pan over the dal, mix well, and serve.
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From: alg@cs.cornell.edu (Anne Louise Gockel) Mon, 8 Apr 91 12:21:26 -0400
I have two dahl recipes that I like to use. They are basically the
same except one is dahl and the other is dahl with zucchini. I believe
that Indian cooks use a special type of yellow split pea for dahl.
They also have other special types of dried pulses that they use.
Several Indian cookbooks mention that standard dried yellow split peas
or red lentils are fine for dahls. I use yellow split peas for most,
and red lentils for some different dishes.
Basic Dahl
---------
Pour 3 cups of boiling water over about 1.5 c yellow split peas.
Remove from heat, skim off any scum and let cool and soak for an hour
or so. *
Pour off the water and rinse the peas. Add water until the peas are
covered, about 3 cups. Don't add much more than 3 cups though! Put
over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add a 1" piece of ginger cut
into several sections, and 1 tsp tumeric. Cook until the peas are
done and almost start to disintegrate. (probably 30-60 minutes
depending on the peas). Add more water if neccessary. You want to
maintain a fairly thick consistency. AFTER they are done cooking, add
some salt to taste. Do not add the salt until they are done cooking
(this warning is in a number of Indian cookbooks).
Melt 1 tbl ghee or butter. When hot, add 1 tsp cumin, 1-2 dried red
chili peppers, 2+ cloves diced garlic. Saute to release the spices.
Pour the oil over the dahl and mix it in.
With Zucchini
------------
Follow the recipe given above.
When the peas are almost done cooking, cut 2 med zuccini's into 1/2"
rounds. Place the zucchini on top of the dahl and cook for another 20
minutes or more until the zucchini is buttery soft. Continue with the
ghee/butter and spices.
---------------------
* Some people claim that the best way to prevent dried beans from
giving you gas is to pour boiling water over them, soak them for a
while and then throw the soaking water away. After rinsing the beans,
cook them in fresh water. I often use this method, but I can't claim
that it's a cure-all for digestive problems. People who eat dried
beans regularly have fewer problems than people who eat them seldom.
Alternatively you can cook 1-2 cups of peas in about 5 cups of water
without presoaking them in any way.
===
From: U15297@UICVM.uic.edu 6 April 1991 10:30:19 CST
dals are of various kinds. They can be made from mixes of or individual
dals. Here are some of the names of pulses/lentils used in dals:
toovar or sometimes called arahar dal (available Indian store)
masoor dal (pink/orange lentil, Indian and Gourmet food stores)
chana dal (split pea, yellow)
mung dal (yellow broken mung from beans, Indian stores)
urad dal (whole unhulled dal black, Indian store)
A simple toovar dal recipe:
I/2 cup dal
1 medium onion
1 medium tomato
2 tsps oil
1 red whole dried chili pod
1/4 tspn mustard seeds
1/4 tspn cumin seeds
a touch of hing (asafoetida, optional, use cobra brand for mild flavor)
1/4 tsps turmeric
a sprig of curry leaves
salt to taste
Pressure cook washed dal with turmeric in 2 and 1/2 cups water for
five minutes. If cooked without pressure cook in pot with lid over
low heat after allowing it to come to a boil. This method takes about
45 mins or more. Dal should be well cooked with a near pureed look.
Add salt.
Heat oil over medium flame, add mustard seeds. When it starts to
splutter add cumin and broken red chilli pod. Add hing and curry
leaves. Add finely chopped onions and when brown add chopped
tomatoes. Stir for two to three minutes and top the dal with this
seasoning.
Serve with fluffy rice and pappad and pickle. Enjoy.
(You can also vary this basic recipe by adding some sauteed veggies
like zuchini, carrots, green peppers etc.)
Hope this helps.
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Ms. Terry Reynolds, datacom terryr@corp.sgi.com