Dal Recipes
Dal is one of the most commonly eaten dishes in India and other parts of Indian sub-continent. Daal is basically is a preparation of pulses (dried beans, lentils etc.). The pulses can be prepared as daal once they are stripped of their outer hulls and split. Daal is so popular in Indian sub-continent that it is one of the mainstays of the food. In South India, people eat Daal with vegetables and rice whereas north Indian people eat it with both rice and roti. Dal is one of the main sources of protein for vegetarians.
The most common South Indian daal is Sambhar. It is a spicy soup prepared using toor dal and vegetables and is cooked with tamarind, turmeric and asafoetida (Heeng). Vegetables used in preparing sambhar affect its taste. Sambhar is eaten with rice and rice dishes.
Most of the Indian dal recipes are quite simple and begins with boiling dal in water with some turmeric, salt. After it is boiled, tadka (tarka, chaunk or baghaar) is given. Tadka/tarka basically consists of some spices or flavorings fried in a small quantity of oil.