Lentils are a staple ingredient in Indian cuisine. Here clockwise from the upper right are: split red lentils, common green whole lentils, and Le Puy lentils both with their outer coats visible

Dal makhani, a popular dish.

Dal (also spelled Dahl or Daal, or Dhal) is a preparation of pulses (dried lentils, peas or beans) which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick stew prepared from these pulses, an important part of Indian, Nepali, Pakistani, Sri Lankan, West Indian and Bangladeshi cuisine. It is regularly eaten with rice and vegetables in southern India, and with both rice and roti (wheat-based flat bread) throughout northern India and Pakistan. Dal is a ready source of proteins for a balanced diet containing little or no meat. Sri Lankan cooking of dal resembles that of southern Indian dishes.

Etymology[link]

Split toor dal, a common variety of dal

The word dāl derives from the Sanskrit verbal root dal- 'to split'.^[1]

Usage in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh,Nepal and Sri Lanka[link]

In South India, dal is often used to make sambar, a spicy soup of red lentils and vegetables cooked with tamarind, asafoetida and some vegetables. It is eaten with rice and rice dishes. In West India, dals are used to make curries to be eaten with rice. Dals are also used to make fermented preparations such as idli, dosa, in south and coastal India. In East India, rice is also the main accompaniment. In Sri Lanka, dal is most often consumed in a curry made with coconut milk.

Dal preparations can be eaten with rice, as well as Indian breads in North India.

Dal has an exceptional nutritional profile. It provides an excellent source of protein for the Indian subcontinent, particularly for those adopting vegetarian diets or diets which do not contain much meat. Dal is typically around 25% protein by weight, giving it a comparable protein content to meats. Dal is also high in carbohydrates whilst being virtually fat free. Dal is also rich in the B vitamins thiamine and folic acid as well as several minerals, notably iron and zinc.

Common varieties[link]

Dal tadka

• Toor dal, i.e. yellow pigeon peas, is available either plain or oily. It is the main ingredient for the South Indian recipe called sambar. In Karnataka it is called Togare bele.

• Chana dal is produced by removing the outer layer of kala chana (black chickpeas) and then splitting the kernel. Although machines can do this, it can also be done at home by soaking the whole chickpeas and removing the loose skins by rubbing.

• Yellow split peas, while not commonly used on the Indian sub-continent, are very prevalent in the Indian communities of Guyana and Trinidad, and were formerly popular amongst Indians in the United States. There, it is referred to generically as dal and is the most popular dal, although masoor dal and toor dal are also used. It is prepared similarly to dals found in India, but also may be used in a variety of other recipes.

• Kala chana are small chickpeas with brown skins. In the US and Canada, it is known as Desi chickpea and the variety most used is called 'Myles'. It is very disease resistant.

• Kabuli dal, known for its black coat, is an average-sized chickpea. It grows naturally with the black coat, and it is said to be nuttier in flavor.

• Mung dal is known as mung bean.

• Lobiya dal - black-eyed bean

• Urad dal, sometimes referred to as "black gram", is the main ingredient of the South Indian dishes: idli and dosai. It is also one of the main ingredients of East Indian (oriya and Bengali or Assamese) pitha. The Punjabi version is dal makhani. In Karnataka it is called Uddina bele.

• Masoor dal is red lentils.

• Rajma dal - kidney beans

• Mussyang is from dals of various colors found in various hilly regions of Nepal.

Split and whole pulses[link]

Although dal generally refers to split pulses, whole pulses are known as sabūt dal and split pulses as dhuli dal.^{[2][citation needed]} The hulling of a pulse is intended to improve digestibility and palatability, but as with milling of whole grains into refined grains, affects the nutrition provided by the dish, reducing dietary fiber content.^[3] Pulses with their outer hull intact are also quite popular in India and Pakistan as the main cuisine. Over 50 different varieties of pulses are known in India and Pakistan.

Preparing dal[link]

Masoor dal being prepared

Most dal recipes are quite simple to prepare. The standard preparation of dal begins with boiling a variety of dal (or a mix) in water with some turmeric, salt to taste, and then adding a fried garnish at the end of the cooking process. In some recipes, tomatoes, tamarind, unripe mango, or other ingredients are added while cooking the dal, often to impart a sour flavor.

The fried garnish for dal goes by many names, including chaunk and tadka. The ingredients in the chaunk for each variety of dal vary by region and individual tastes. The raw spices (more commonly cumin seeds, mustard seeds and/or asafoetida; sometimes fenugreek seeds and dried red chili pepper) are first fried for a few seconds in the hot oil on medium/low heat. This is generally followed by ginger, garlic and onion, which is generally fried for 10 minutes. After the onion turns golden brown, ground spices (turmeric, coriander, red chili powder, garam masala, etc.) are added. The chaunk is then poured over the cooked dal.

See also[link]

	Food portal
	South Asia portal

Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on Dal

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Dal

• Chaunk
• Dal bati churma
• Dal biji
• Dal makhani
• Vada
• Lentil soup
• Ezogelin soup

• Legume
• Pulses
• Lentil
• Bean

References[link]

v t e Indian dishes by region North Aloo gobi Baati Baingan Bartha Barfi Bhatura Butter chicken Chana masala Chapati Chicken tikka Chole bhature Churma Dal makhani Dopiaza Haleem Kachori Kadai Kadhi Keema Kulcha Korma Kulfi Mattar paneer Makki di roti Mirchi Bada Naan Nihari Palak Paneer Pakora Paneer Tikka Pasanda Raita Rajma Rogan josh Rumali Roti Sarson ka saag Shahi paneer Shami Kebab Tandoori chicken Paneer Tikka Masala Aloo Mutter South Appam Aviyal Baghara baingan Benne Dose Bhajji Bisi bele bath Bonda Chicken 65 Chakna Curd rice Dahi chutney Dopiaza Dosa Double ka meetha Fish molee Hyderabadi biryani Hyderabadi haleem Idiappam Idli Injipuli Kaalan Kanji Kerala porotta Koottu Kozhukatta Lukhmi Mirchi ka salan Murukku Mysore Pak Pachadi Paniyaram Parotta Payasam Pongal Poriyal Pulihora Puttu Rasam Rice and curry Sambar Sheer korma Sevai Upma Uttapam Vada West Akuri Basundi Bhakri Bhelpuri Bombil fry Chivda Chouriço Dahi vada Dhansak Dhokla Doodhpak Kadboli Khatkhate Khichdi Kombdi vade Kuswar Misal Pav bhaji Patoleo Patra ni machhi Sabudana Khichadi Sanna Sevpuri Shrikhand Sorpotel Thalipeeth Vada pav Vedhmi Veg Kolhapuri Vindaloo Xacuti East Alu Potala Rasa Beguni Bel Pana Bhuna Khicuhri Chakuli Pitha Cham cham Chandrakanti Charchari Chhena Chingudi Jhola Dahi baigana Dahi Machha Jalfrezi Kati roll Luchi Machha Jhola Maachha Bihana Mathapuli Mishti Doi Ouu khatta Pakhala Pantua Pitha Rasabali Rasgulla Ras malai Sandesh Santula Miscellanea Biryani Chaat Chutney Dal Falooda Flattened rice Gulab Jamun Halwa Indian pickle Jalebi Kheer Kofta Laddu Panipuri Papadum Paratha Puri Roti Samosa Sabzi Zarda Puri Bhaji Indian diaspora Chicken tikka masala Desi Chinese Phall Nasi kandar Pasembur Roti canai

v t e Pakistani dishes by cuisine and region Balochi Kaak Sajji Kashmiri Dum Aloo Kahwah Kashmiri tea Razma Rogan josh Wazwan Muhajir Aloo tikki Dahi chutney Gil e firdaus Hyderabadi biryani Haleem Masala chai Nargisi Kofta Nihari Paan Sheermal Pashtun Afghan bread Bolani Chapli kabab Gosh Feel Kabuli pulao Kadchgall Kadu bouranee Kahwah Mantu Peshwari Naan Punjabi Lahori Chargha Golgappa Halwa poori Lahori fried fish Gosht karahi Murgh cholay Paya Kata-kat Mughlai Balushahi Biryani Kebab Kofta Korma Pasanda Rumali roti Shami kebab Sheer korma Elsewhere Aloo gobi Aloo paratha Baingan ka bartha Bhala Bhatoora Chana masala Chapati Chicken tikka Chole bhature Gajar ka Halwa Lassi Makki di roti Panjiri Papadum Paratha Punjabi pulao Puri Sarson da saag Sohan halwa Sugarcane juice Tandoor bread Tandoori chicken Tikka Sindhi Beh Hyderabadi pickle Sindhi biryani Sindhi karhi Miscellaneous Aloo gosht Bun kebab Chaat Chutney Dal Falooda Flattened rice Gulab Jamun Halwa Kulfi Pakistani pickle Jalebi Kalakand Khagina Kheer Khichra Khichri Laddu Naan Pakora Pulao Roti Saalan Samosa Shorba Tea Zarda Pakistani diaspora Balti (food) Chicken tikka masala Pakistani Chinese