Dahl 101
Lessons from an Indian on treating your lentils right
In India, there’s a dahl – lentil – for every season. And, for every reason.
A lusciously creamy Dahl Makhani for special occasions, a bland and broth-like Dhandar when I need a hug from home, a lip-smacking Tadka Dahl when I have surprise guests and sometimes, I’ll sprout some mung lentils if I feel like being healthy.
Lentils are one of those rare gems that are cheap, nutritious and vegetarian.
The holy grail. Packed with fibre, protein and iron, they are incredibly easy to cook and go a long way for big families.
Except, I once caught someone in my lunchroom at work opening a can of black lentils, adding salt and microwaving them. Don’t do this. Your lentils deserve better.
To level up your lentil game, take a page out of the Indian cook’s handbook.
Buying your lentils
Lentils can be bought both canned and dry. Unless you need an instant option, always choose dry, not just because they are cheaper but also because they are more versatile.
Their growing popularity means you’ll now find the main kinds - red, brown and tiny yellow - in most supermarkets.
However, if you want greater choice, head to your local Indian store, where you’ll find lentils such as black gram, split pigeon peas, black chickpeas and many others.
The higher turnover in the bulk bins also means your lentils are fresher and cook faster.
Lentils are a blank slate.
There are literally hundreds of dal recipes in India because lentils take on any flavour you throw at them. The key to great lentils is in the tadka – or tempering of the spices – as that’s where the real flavour is. If you’re like me, always getting confused about what goes in first and what goes next, know that there’s a science to it.
The first tadka for dahl is used for base flavouring, while the second tadka is for the aroma. You need both, trust me. Finding this out has transformed my relationship with tadka and helped me get more creative in the kitchen.
When you’ve cooked one lentil, you know how to cook all the lentils.
The recipe below is meant to be a guide for cooking all lentils. But remember, your dahl is only as good as the tempering.
A good tadka requires the spices to bloom but not burn. This means you:
Start with the ingredients that have the smallest surface area.
Add ingredients with more water volume later. So onions that have less moisture go first, followed by tomatoes. If you swap it around, your onions will cook in the steam from the tomatoes rather than oil and won’t have the same flavour.
Simple flavour:
Starting Tadka: Ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds
Finishing Tadka: Ghee, finely sliced garlic
Richer flavour:
Starting Tadka: Ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, garlic, finely sliced onion, diced tomato (canned will do, but remove the juice where possible)
Finishing Tadka: Ghee, dried Kashmiri chillies, curry leaves
The recipe below is meant to be a guide for cooking all lentils. If you feel like there are too many variables and you need detailed instructions, follow the recipe for Triple Tadka Dahl instead.
Ingredients:
200gm lentils of your choice
1 tsp turmeric powder
Water for boiling
Salt to taste
Spice tempering of your choice (see options above)
Method:
Begin by soaking your lentils for 2-4 hours. The longer you soak them, the faster they will cook. Soaking the lentils also helps release enzymes like phytase and amylase, which breaks down phytic acid and complex starch, making them easy to digest; bye-bye, Mr Farty Pants!
When your lentils have finished soaking, rinse them clean.
If you’re adding two Tadka’s, complete the starting tadka in a small pan now.
In a saucepan, submerge your lentils in water. The water should normally be about half an inch higher than your lentils. Mix in your turmeric. Do NOT add salt right now.
Mix in the starting tadka.
Note: If your starting tadka has tomato, do NOT add it to the lentils right now because the acidity from the tomatoes will mean your lentils don’t break down completely.
However, adding the tomato is okay if you are cooking with a tougher lentil like black beluga and want to preserve its shape.
Boil the lentils. Use slow heat if you want to preserve their structure and fast heat - or even a pressure cooker - if you want a smooth soupy texture. Depending on your lentil, you’ll need to cook them for 30 - 40 minutes.
Your lentils are cooked when they are completely soft; how tender they are depends on you. Cook them until they fall apart at the back of a fork if you want to preserve their texture. Or, keep cooking until they completely break down if you plan on blending them.
Make sure you salt your lentils after they are tender. Both salting and acidic ingredients like lemon or vinegar prevent them from reaching peak tenderness.
Add in the finishing tadka and serve hot.
Your dahl is only as good as the tempering
A good tadka requires the spices to bloom but not burn. This means you:
Start with the ingredients that have the smallest surface area.
Add ingredients with more water volume later. So onions that have less moisture go first, followed by tomatoes. If you swap it around, your onions will cook in the steam from the tomatoes rather than oil and won’t have the same flavour.
Simple flavour:
Starting Tadka: Ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds
Finishing Tadka: Ghee, finely sliced garlic
Richer flavour:
Starting Tadka: Ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, garlic, finely sliced onion, diced tomato (canned will do, but remove the juice where possible)
Finishing Tadka: Ghee, dried Kashmiri chillies, curry leaves
Feel free to mix these up as you see fit. And if you want a completely different flavour, try changing the lentil rather than the spice!
I absolutely love lentils. Have you ever cooked from 660 Curries? It’s what got me hooked in the first place.
Why for the richer tarka do you add curry leaves (I assume fresh) both at the start at the end? I’ve always added them last so they’re crisp but with still some freshness?