Easy and cheap recipe for dhal

Dhal is a delicious and inexpensive dish to conjure up for dinner. The base for a dhal is red lentils. They are cooked together with tomatoes and liquid (water, broth and/or coconut milk) until they become tender and creamy. Lentils and canned tomatoes are good, easily available and inexpensive ingredients - and also deliciously healthy! 

TIP: Also try Indian curry with chicken and spinach or black dhal with beluga lentils

 To make a good Indian dhal, you need to season the base with lots of spices. And here the ingredient list quickly becomes quite long. It can be a bit of an investment if you have to go out and buy all the spices at once. But they are exactly that, an investment, because once you have the spices on the shelf, you can use them for many pots before you have to replenish the stock again.   

Spices for dhal

There is no single combination of spices that is the most traditional, correct one for an authentic Indian dhal. In fact, there are probably as many different recipes as there are Indian mamas, because in every family they have their own dhal spice mix. The following spices are used for this dhal: 

• cumin
• coriander
• turmeric
• garam masala
• mustard seed
• chili powder
• cardamom

Especially the last three, mustard seeds, chili and cardamom, you can easily omit. It does give a good taste, but if you are not into spicy and/or aromatic food, the spices are not a must. If there is one of the spices you do not have, it is not the end of the world - just add a little more of something else. You can also try adding curry powder and ground cinnamon to your dhal. 

TIP: Also try the recipe for chicken tikka masala or lamb tikka masala

Tips and variations for the best dhal

• Try adding 1 can of coconut milk (omit 2 dl of water). It will make your dhal extra creamy and delicious.
• Grind your spices yourself in a mortar for the best flavor. It makes them so much more aromatic!
•  A dhal can be either coarser or have a liquid, almost soup-like consistency. You can adjust this by adjusting the amount of water.
• The creamier you want your dhal, the longer you should let it cook.
• Dhal is a really good freezer dish. So, if you make a double batch, it can be easily frozen and taken out.

TIP: Also try this recipe for Indian kitchari

Toppings and accessories for dhal

It is very classic to top your dahl with crème fraiche or Greek yoghurt. They are deliciously cooling with the spicy lentil stew. In addition, it is delicious with a little crunch in the form of roasted almonds or coconut flakes, and some fresh herbs such as coriander. You can also choose to add pickled red onions above. Not super traditional but very very delicious. You can also make raita, often served with dhal in India. It is a form of Indian tzatizki, consisting of cucumber (grated or in small cubes), mixed with yogurt, a little ground cumin, freshly chopped mint and salt. As a side dish, you can serve naan bread. These homemade naan bread are simply so delicious and very easy to make, so they are highly recommended. You can also serve them with rice or cooked grains such as couscous, spelt, quinoa.If you would like to serve a green salad with your dhal, you can make this salad with pomegranate and avocado. It tastes really good that way.