Dal

Dal means two things. It is the word for split pulses, such as lentils, split peas and split beans. It is also the name of the dish made from them: a soupy or thick stew, cooked soft and seasoned with spices. Dal is everyday food across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, eaten with rice or flatbread.

How to do it

1. Rinse 200 g (1 cup) of split lentils, such as red lentils or yellow split pigeon peas, until the water runs clear.
2. Put them in a pot with about 1 liter (4 cups) of water, a pinch of turmeric and salt.
3. Simmer, skimming off the foam, until the lentils are soft and break down. Red lentils take 15 to 20 minutes. Some other dals take 30 to 45 minutes, or much less in a pressure cooker.
4. Whisk or mash to the texture you like, and add water if it is too thick.
5. For the tadka, heat ghee or oil in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add sliced garlic, dried chili, or chopped onion and cook until fragrant.
6. Pour the hot tadka over the dal and stir it in. Finish with cilantro (coriander in the UK) or lemon.

Why it works

Spices give up much of their flavor into hot fat. Frying them at the end, called tadka or tempering, blooms them, and pouring that fat on top gives fresh, strong aroma that would fade if it had cooked for an hour.

Common mistakes

• Skipping the rinse. Dusty lentils make a murky, foamy dal.
• Adding the tadka too early. Its aroma is best right at the end.
• Burning the garlic in the tadka. It turns bitter. Pull it off the heat when it is light golden.
• Making it too thick. Dal thickens a lot as it cools. Thin leftovers with hot water.

In recipes

Recipes use names like masoor dal (red lentils), toor dal (pigeon peas), moong dal (mung beans) and chana dal (split chickpeas). The name tells you which pulse to buy. Dal is often served beside a curry. Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.