Yet Another Cycling Forum

Off Topic => The Pub => Food & Drink => Topic started by: Valiant on 05 April, 2020, 12:34:13 am

Title: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 05 April, 2020, 12:34:13 am

Shared this the other day on FB and figured I may as well share it here.
Simple 1 pot dhall v1
Dhall is a tasty and versatile dish that can be cooked in a variety of ways. I’ve chosen this method as it’s a single pot method and only requires the one burner/stove. The other (Tadka/Tarka) method is to rinse and boil the lentils and cook it with the turmeric separately, removing the grey-white scum half way through, and then cook up the onion and spices in a separate pan and bring them together at them in at the end.
Fair warning, I like my dhall garlicy and hot, though I did omit the Naga I’d usually add in :D Feel free to taper down the garlic and chillies, but a little is recommended for added depth. You could substitute it for a half a teaspoon of paprika if you really don’t like the chillis which would bring back a bit of the layers.
Ingredients (Serves about 4)
2 large cups red split lentils/channa dhal/tarka dhal/chickpeas whichever takes your fancy, I really like yellow split peas
1 Large onion diced
3 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
2 tsp garam masala
3 teaspoons turmeric
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
6 garlic cloves grated
large bit of ginger grated
2 or 3 green chilies sliced length ways*
1 whole dried chilli*
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
A handful of fresh coriander chopped*
Ghee/oil/butter for frying – Ghee/butter will make it creamier
*Stuff is optional, but does go a long way for flavour.
Instructions
Soak the lentil in hot water for 15 minutes and then rinse with cold water til the water runs clearish.
Take a saucepan and add the ghee/butter/oil, once it’s hot, add in the onions and cook til soft on a medium heat
Add in the garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, once they start to pop add in the rest of the dry spices and give it a stir for a couple of minutes to coat everything without burning
Drain and pour in the lentils, the tomatoes, the chillies and using the tomato tins a couple of tins of water and give it a good mix.
Cover and leave on a low medium heat for 20 minutes to simmer.
Add the coriander, salt and pepper, stir and cover for a further 10 minutes.
If you want it to softer, you may cook for longer. I quite often chuck everything in the slow cooker for 8 hours to really make it combine.
Serve with rice, naan, toast or anything really as a main or side as it’s super versatile.
To really level up you can add a cinnamon stick, and experiment with adding kaffir leaf or shatkora limes during cooking process, and a dash of lime before serving for a real citrus bite.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: rafletcher on 05 April, 2020, 02:12:35 pm
Not having a slow cooker, I use a two-pot method, cooking the dhal in a pressure cooker first, for about 8-9 minutes, then whisk to break them up a bit. Then having fried the other ingredients, and cooked the water out of the tomatoes, I add them in to finish.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: toontra on 05 April, 2020, 02:43:19 pm
What about the cardamom pods? ;D

Made a batch the other day which I'm working my way through.

TIP: Don't leave dhal at room temperature for days on end thinking there's nothing to go off or that it will somehow improve the flavour - it will ferment and really start to stink.  DAMHIKT.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 05 April, 2020, 03:39:03 pm
Two days max then refrigerate is our usual.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: nicknack on 11 April, 2020, 10:00:23 am
Thanks for that. Slow cooker was a good idea.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Tim Hall on 11 April, 2020, 08:50:06 pm
Ooh, noted for future reference. Thanks.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: andrewc on 15 April, 2020, 10:05:40 pm
I just made a cauldron of this , basically following Sam's recipe, but adding a tin of chickpeas & omitting the tumeric, as I had none.  I used 1 red & 1 green chilli, both pretty mild & a dash of dried chilli flakes. I used a potato masher to try & smash the chickpeas & turn it into a smoother puree.    It was tasty, didn't seem that hot, but the top if my head is sweating!    I'll let you know if there are any adverse side effects. 


Can you freeze this ?  Otherwise I'm going to be eating it for the rest of the week.


(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EVq8BsCX0AIvAux?format=jpg&name=small)
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: toontra on 15 April, 2020, 10:30:21 pm
Yes.  I freeze what's left over from batches that I don't eat within a couple of days.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 16 April, 2020, 12:52:00 am
Yup can be frozen. It'll lose texture but it's fine to go. The turmeric is quite the necessity though. As for side effects, that should be endorphins. Layering chillis like that has that effect.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Gattopardo on 16 April, 2020, 01:46:58 pm
Can this be made in a rice cooker?
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 16 April, 2020, 03:03:29 pm
Never tried but don't see why not, it's essentially a slow cooker.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: andrewc on 16 April, 2020, 03:14:00 pm
I've now got 2 frozen portions in the freezer & a bowl in the fridge.   I think I'll stick that in the slow cooker at the weekend with some diced lamb  :P
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Sergeant Pluck on 17 April, 2020, 01:25:58 pm
Hi Sam. Hope you are keeping well.

I’m gonna make this later. Going to use the add spiced oil at the end method. Could you use normal green or brown lentils? Or red split peas?

What would go nicely with this? Things I have: courgette (1), way too many carrots, half bag spinach, onions, spuds, tinned beans like chickpeas and butter beans, and pretty much all the spices. Eggs.

Sag aloo came to mind but I don’t have enough spinach.



Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 17 April, 2020, 02:47:11 pm
Hello! You can use any lentils, I tend to prefer the red split, but do often go for the yellow whole. With your other ingredients I'd be tempted to make a side using the potatoes and spinach. As you only have a little you could bulk it out with other ingredients and make a single serving portion. Here's what I tend to do, feel free to scale it down.

1. Boil a few cubed potatoes in salted water. Drain and set aside to firm up.
2. Heat some oil and/or ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add 1tsp cumin seeds. Add a finely chopped onion and cook, stirring often, until slightly golden, about 5-7 minutes.
4. Chuck in a sliced green chilli, 4 cloves of crushed garlic and a half a thumb of minced ginger. Cook til it smells amazing. Usually takes 30 seconds.
5. Lower the heat and add a large chopped tomato, 1tsp coriander powder, 1/2tsp tumeric and 1/4tsp chilli powder, and salt to taste. Cook until the tomato becomes soft about 3 minutes in.
6. Up the heat to medium-high and add the spinach, i usually use about 500g. Stir-fry it until it loses its moisture, add water as needed to prevent the spinach from sticking to the bottom.
7. When the spinach is cooked, add the boiled potatoes and stir to coat the potatoes with the spinach. Adjust salt, if needed.
8. Take it off the heat and dash in some lemon juice.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Efrogwr on 19 April, 2020, 06:43:54 pm
I cooked both recipes for dinner tonight;BLOODY BRILLIANT!

Thank you very much, Sam. We'll have this again...

And a  :thumbsup: from Mrs E.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 20 April, 2020, 10:48:12 am
Brilliant :) Glad you liked it! I'll be writing up more soon.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Efrogwr on 20 April, 2020, 01:58:55 pm
May I be cheeky, and ask for a recipe for naan?
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 20 April, 2020, 06:04:30 pm
I'll speak to my dad, I've never made he but he does.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Efrogwr on 20 April, 2020, 06:50:50 pm
Thanks.

The dhall was even better today! Next time I'll make it in the slow cooker.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Tim Hall on 20 April, 2020, 06:54:55 pm
I'll speak to my dad, I've never made he but he does.
Naan recipe would be brilliant. I've used on from the BBC food website, but I'm not convinced of its authentcity. Tastes good though.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Deano on 12 June, 2020, 09:59:28 pm
Thanks, Sam, I made some today, it was lovely. I blended it in the end, mainly cos I was a bit rushed in the morning and the garlic and ginger were a bit chunky.

I wanted to have some naan with it, but yeast is hard to come by. I've blagged some off a mate, I'll try his recipe tomors
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: mrcharly-YHT on 15 June, 2020, 11:10:54 am
I made it last week with a few small alterations.

Pseudo-garam masala mix made up, sans cloves.

Added some tamarind. Was intending to just add a bit, but I leaned over the pan with a jar in my hand, so . . .

Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhallch
Post by: campagman on 26 January, 2021, 08:54:54 pm
I made this (https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/dal_in_a_dash_51198) BBC recipe today with some chopped Veg. Surprisingly good and dead easy to make. Could be good to take on a cycle camp.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: jiberjaber on 27 January, 2021, 01:12:47 am
Thanks, Sam, I made some today, it was lovely. I blended it in the end, mainly cos I was a bit rushed in the morning and the garlic and ginger were a bit chunky.

I wanted to have some naan with it, but yeast is hard to come by. I've blagged some off a mate, I'll try his recipe tomors

You can make Naan with sourdough starter and yogurt if you have a starter that is :) 
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 27 January, 2021, 05:04:55 pm
I made this (https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/dal_in_a_dash_51198) BBC recipe today with some chopped Veg. Surprisingly good and dead easy to make. Could be good to take on a cycle camp.

That's a lot like my care package recipes I make up for struggling friends and post them, I call them a hug in a jar lol.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Ruthie on 27 January, 2021, 05:14:39 pm
Used ghee for the first time. It’s a revelation. The crack cocaine of frying.
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 27 January, 2021, 05:56:48 pm
That it is and shelf stable too!
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: jiberjaber on 31 January, 2021, 07:23:05 pm
Had a go at the Dhall today, came out OK, will used the remainder as a base to knock up a curry later in the week I think.  :thumbsup:

 I used 2 tablespoons of garlic and ginger paste rather than the fresh ginger plus a handful of garlic cloves too.

Enjoyed with some homemade flatbreads painted in butter/garlic/coriander - I am sure this has probably added another kg to me mass! :D
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: CrazyEnglishTriathlete on 31 January, 2021, 08:51:22 pm
I add lemon juice to my Dhall.

I often do potatoes with it - precook the potatoes for a few minutes less than I would cook them to serve as straight potatoes, then add them to a oil + spice mix - the spice mix is turmeric, freshly ground coriander & cumin, red chili flakes and mustard seeds. pan fry for about 10 minutes.

The other side dish is mushrooms cooked in sesame oil, flavoured with lemon juice, one chopped red chili and bay leaves.  I don't know why it works but it is especially good at freshening up dhall which has been in the fridge for a couple of days (served as a side, not mixed in with the dhall).
Title: Re: Simple One Pot Dhall
Post by: Valiant on 31 January, 2021, 11:52:01 pm
Ooh nice!