Indian Lentil Curry Recipe: How to Cook Dal
Indians are great storytellers. But the vast subcontinent’s rich literary culture is as elusive as its culinary diversity. “India is only a geographical expression, it is no more a place than the equator,” said former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
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But there is one thing in both Indian literature and Indian cuisine that is known and loved across all regions, ethnic groups, religions and dialects (there are at least 22,000). For literature, this is the Mahabharata, a heroic epic about the ruling family of the Bharatas, which was written around 400 AD. For food culture, it is the national dish Dal, which consists of pulses. Both are intertwined.
The story behind the Dal dish
Prince Bhima, one of the protagonists in the Indian saga, is someone who would probably be called a “nourishment” today. Growing up, he devoured not only what was on his plate, but also his brothers’ share. His weakness for food often earned him ridicule. When his family was exiled, the members took refuge in another royal palace disguised as workers.
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Bhima was hired as a cook – even though he had no idea how to cook. But apparently he was not only not averse to good ingredients, but also a man with a talent for improvisation. And so he just threw all kinds of different lentils and vegetables and herbs together in a clay pot, cooked them slowly, and then added a good dollop of clarified butter, called ghee in India, over it. These were ingredients for five different dishes. Bhima created a meal from it and thus created Panchratna or Panchmel Dal. Panch means “five” in ancient Indian Sanskrit.
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So, if you’re spoiled for choice among the many dal variants that exist from India to Pakistan, just pick five recipes or five types of lentils that he or she likes – and a truly legendary meal is ready.
About 50 types of lenses
In fact, there are many more than just five types of lentils in India. About 50 different varieties are cultivated in the subcontinent. You can get them in almost any color, from yellow to red to black. The oldest seeds archaeologists found in India are 5400 years old. Dal dishes are as varied as lentils. Its appeal lies in the variety of combinations. For centuries, it was apparently a food reserved for the wealthy. But it eventually developed into a popular court.
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Depending on the ingredients, the consistency is either creamy like porridge or runny like soup. Because it is quite difficult to get five different types of lentils in this country, the following recipe for four people is based on 500 grams of red lentils.
Indian recipe for dal
Sauté them in a liter of water with a little salt, a finely chopped onion and two teaspoons of powdered ginger until they turn yellow and therefore cooked. Roast the following spices in clarified butter in a pan: Mix five teaspoons of cumin and turmeric with two teaspoons of cardamom, Indian garam masala and curry spice mix, and two to three teaspoons of chili and one teaspoon of ginger .
Then add the lentils and let everything simmer for about five minutes, stirring.
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