Curry guides

How to Cook a Great Dhal

There are many different types of lentils used to make dhals in Indian cuisine

How to Cook a Great Dhal

The lentil is a simple ingredient that forms a huge part of the Indian diet and is a common component in most Indian meals. Easily accessible it provides nutrition for the poorest people and although it is a humble ingredient it is rich in variety and flavour.

Lentils grow in pods which contain two or three in each in Asian and North African regions. They are full of protein and carbohydrates as well as being a great source of calcium, phosphorous, B vitamins and iron. The wonderful thing about lentils is that there are so many different varieties and each one has its own texture, taste and use. They can also be mixed with other varieties to produce new flavours and dishes. Depending on whether the lentil has been split, the skin has been removed or it's whole creates a different variety which requires different cooking techniques. While most people associate lentils in Indian cuisine with dhal, there are loads of dishes which uses lentils to add flavour and consistency.

They are usually sold dried but can also be found pre-cooked in tins.

Cooking Lentils

It's really important that you cook lentils (and beans) properly as some of them can have toxins that need to be cooked out.

I always wash my lentils in cold water to remove excess starch and any shrivelled up lentils as well as little stones that may be present.

Lentils need to be cooked in four times the water to the quantity of lentil and seasoned with salt. Remember that lentils soak up water and expand so one ramekin full is more than enough for up to 4 people.

The sauce that you put the lentils with is what makes the dish so spend some time getting this right and the lentils will soak up the flavours making the final dish delicious.

The cooking time also depends on the variety of lentil and what form it comes in (split, whole, hulled). In general terms split lentils can take up to 20 minutes to cook and whole lentils can take up to 45 minutes to cook, however, some lentils will take a whole lot longer and will require soaking overnight and then I prefer to pressure cook them or slow cook them.

 
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Comments

Comments (11)

  • Jeremy Sellars

    Jeremy Sellars

    09 December 2015 at 11:54 |
    Why do you have so few vegetarian and/or vegan dishes?!

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      Hari Ghotra

      09 December 2015 at 20:26 |
      Hi Jeremy Thanks for your comment. There are quite a few vegan and vegetarian dishes on the site and I am continually adding new dishes too. Have you searched on the navigation for vegetarian and vegan? Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Helene

    Helene

    05 April 2016 at 15:42 |
    I've found that whole black lentils take a lot longer than 45 minutes to cook, even when pre-soaked! I don't have a pressure cooker, but I do have a slow cooker and it is just so easy to soak the lentils overnight then slow cook them during the day and finally fry them off with a masala in the evening to make a tasty dhal. Perfect every time and SO tasty.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      Hari Ghotra

      17 April 2016 at 08:56 |
      Hi Helen thanks so much for your advice - really helpful as lots of people are using slow cookers now and they are fantastic. Traditionally black lentils would be left to cook overnight on a low and slow heat which is what makes them rich and creamy (not adding cream) so this is a perfect way to cook them. Thanks Hari

      reply

  • Jeff Robinson

    Jeff Robinson

    27 January 2019 at 22:16 |
    Just to say that I really like watching your videos on YouTube and they inspired me to make proper curries which taste brilliant.

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      Hari Ghotra

      28 January 2019 at 08:58 |
      Hi Jeff I am very happy to read your comment. Thanks so much for watching the videos and trying the recipes - It would be great to see the dishes you cook so please share pictures with me on the app - here is the link https://hari.is/2P5rXbk Thanks Hari

      reply

  • sree

    sree

    26 February 2019 at 08:46 |
    impressive
    I have used tomato paste on some of my dishes and they have come out well.
    A recipe for rasam?

    reply

  • marianne maserati

    marianne maserati

    26 March 2019 at 11:13 |
    Hi there
    I have some whole urid???? Can you tell me please what to do with it and how to cook it. And how do I know when it's cooked please. Quite nervous of lentils and beans xxx I think your cooking is amazing. Thank you

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      Hari Ghotra

      02 April 2019 at 09:21 |
      Sorry for my delayed response!!

      reply

  • marianne maserati

    marianne maserati

    02 April 2019 at 09:12 |
    Hi I have some black urid dalh, can u help me please as I am not sure about cooking it xxx Maria

    reply

    • Hari Ghotra

      Hari Ghotra

      02 April 2019 at 09:21 |
      Hi These are whole lentils that need to be soaked and then cooked. Ideally best in a pressure cooker but if not they will take 4-6 hours or so. Here is a recipe that might help https://www.harighotra.co.uk/dhal-makhani-recipe Let me know if you need any more info. Thanks Hari

      reply

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