Tarka Dhal

[BatleyBoy]

I can't seem to get the lentils soft enough when I cook a Tarka Dhal.

I don't want to have to pressure cook then or boil them for hours either.

Any suggestions for a lentil that will do the job relatively quickly?

Cheers. BB.

[Shaw Tarse]

Tarka Dhal like a chicken dhal only a little otter?

[Bullett]

BatleyBoy said:

relatively quickly?

I think that's your problem - long and slow is the key.

[RichB]

Shaw Tarse said:

Tarka Dhal like a chicken dhal only a little otter?

Boom boom..

[Ray Singh]

Buy Red lentils (not the polished type) from a good brand. Either TRS or Natco.
Simmer them for about 30 mins.

Good luck.

[BatleyBoy]

Ray Singh said:

Buy Red lentils (not the polished type) from a good brand. Either TRS or Natco.
Simmer them for about 30 mins.

Good luck.

Have tried the red lentils (Natco) twice now and they make a lot of difference as they soften up much quicker. Thanks for the suggestion.

Just trying to sort out the best spice mix for the Tarka bit now!

Cheers. BB.

[Mobile Chicane]

BatleyBoy said:

Ray Singh said:

Buy Red lentils (not the polished type) from a good brand. Either TRS or Natco.
Simmer them for about 30 mins.

Good luck.

Have tried the red lentils (Natco) twice now and they make a lot of difference as they soften up much quicker. Thanks for the suggestion.

Just trying to sort out the best spice mix for the Tarka bit now!

Cheers. BB.

I use 1tsp toasted cumin seeds (whole), a clove of garlic (crushed), a red chilli (chopped fine inc. seeds), all sweated together with a large onion (finely chopped) in butter until dark brown.

Do experiment with other pulses though - chick peas and yellow split peas work well but have to be soaked overnight.

Oh, and add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to the cooking water.

[cslgirl]

I made some recently to add to a dansak I made. Have a look at www.cr0.co.uk (curry recipes online). I got the recipe from there.

[BatleyBoy]

So here is the problem.....after cooking the mix of spices in oil I add to the dhal but it sends the colour too brown for my liking. I really want the add spice / heat to the dhal, but retain that golden colour of the dhal. I presume its either the ground cumin, garam masala or corriander powder thats affecting the colour?

Any suggestions on the mix of spices to keep the golden colour?

Cheers. BB.

[Bullett]

Tumeric

[ChrisnChris]

Adding salt before the lentils are cooked will also lengthen the cooking time

[BatleyBoy]

Bullett said:

Tumeric

I do add Tumeric to the spice mix....but as I said I reckon its the cumion, garam masala or corriander powder that maybe darkening it.

[Mobile Chicane]

Split peas will give the 'yellowest' result, however these need to be soaked overnight before cooking.

Cover with water and add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to this.

NB: You do not want to be putting garam masala or ground coriander in dhal, imvvho. Also leave the cumin seeds whole.

[BatleyBoy]

Mobile Chicane said:

Split peas will give the 'yellowest' result, however these need to be soaked overnight before cooking.

Cover with water and add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to this.

NB: You do not want to be putting garam masala or ground coriander in dhal, imvvho. Also leave the cumin seeds whole.

What's the issue with the garam masala and ground corriander then?

[Mobile Chicane]

BatleyBoy said:

Mobile Chicane said:

Split peas will give the 'yellowest' result, however these need to be soaked overnight before cooking.

Cover with water and add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to this.

NB: You do not want to be putting garam masala or ground coriander in dhal, imvvho. Also leave the cumin seeds whole.

What's the issue with the garam masala and ground corriander then?

I think it's better without. People who know nothing about Indian food stick garam masala in everything -

Try another variation on the recipe here - probably closest to what you would get in a good curry house.

[BatleyBoy]

Mobile Chicane said:

BatleyBoy said:

Mobile Chicane said:

Split peas will give the 'yellowest' result, however these need to be soaked overnight before cooking.

Cover with water and add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to this.

NB: You do not want to be putting garam masala or ground coriander in dhal, imvvho. Also leave the cumin seeds whole.

What's the issue with the garam masala and ground corriander then?

I think it's better without. People who know nothing about Indian food stick garam masala in everything -

Try another variation on the recipe here - probably closest to what you would get in a good curry house.

Mate, I live in the middle of a MASSIVE asian community (some schools are 90% + asian) and they use garam masala all the time. In fact the best curry recipe I have is from a local asian lass at my wifes work and it has garam masala in it!
Any hows I will try my dhal dish without it next time and report back!
Cheers. Simon

[Mobile Chicane]

BatleyBoy said:

Mobile Chicane said:

BatleyBoy said:

Mobile Chicane said:

Split peas will give the 'yellowest' result, however these need to be soaked overnight before cooking.

Cover with water and add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to this.

NB: You do not want to be putting garam masala or ground coriander in dhal, imvvho. Also leave the cumin seeds whole.

What's the issue with the garam masala and ground corriander then?

I think it's better without. People who know nothing about Indian food stick garam masala in everything -

Try another variation on the recipe here - probably closest to what you would get in a good curry house.

Mate, I live in the middle of a MASSIVE asian community (some schools are 90% + asian) and they use garam masala all the time. In fact the best curry recipe I have is from a local asian lass at my wifes work and it has garam masala in it!
Any hows I will try my dhal dish without it next time and report back!
Cheers. Simon

I'm from Southall, originally. It's mostly Punjabi / Gujerati round there so maybe the use of GM is a regional thing: I was always told that GM goes in a curry at the end, and that's it - the idea being that it's hot in your stomach and not in your mouth.

[BatleyBoy]

Mobile Chicane said:

BatleyBoy said:

Mobile Chicane said:

BatleyBoy said:

Mobile Chicane said:

Split peas will give the 'yellowest' result, however these need to be soaked overnight before cooking.

Cover with water and add a teaspoon of ground turmeric to this.

NB: You do not want to be putting garam masala or ground coriander in dhal, imvvho. Also leave the cumin seeds whole.

What's the issue with the garam masala and ground corriander then?

I think it's better without. People who know nothing about Indian food stick garam masala in everything -

Try another variation on the recipe here - probably closest to what you would get in a good curry house.

Mate, I live in the middle of a MASSIVE asian community (some schools are 90% + asian) and they use garam masala all the time. In fact the best curry recipe I have is from a local asian lass at my wifes work and it has garam masala in it!
Any hows I will try my dhal dish without it next time and report back!
Cheers. Simon

I'm from Southall, originally. It's mostly Punjabi / Gujerati round there so maybe the use of GM is a regional thing: I was always told that GM goes in a curry at the end, and that's it - the idea being that it's hot in your stomach and not in your mouth.

Yes I would agree with that to be honest, its used a lot as an addition later on in the cooking to thicken up the sauce a little. However it is used one way othr another in a lot of dishes.
Anyway I will try my tarka next time without it and see how we get one.
Cheers for now. Simon.

[Pickled Piper]

Surely you need a pressure cooker of some sort?

Sorry, despite being Indian I know little or nothing about Indian cooking but my mum and my wife both have these.

pp

[Asterix]

Pressure cooker is petty much the way to do it - my MiL is South Indian, vegi and seems to exist on lentil based stuff. Everything is done with a pressure cooker.