Why fry a teaspoon of dal to start an Indian dish?
Some Indian recipes ask the cook to fry a very small quantity of dal, e.g. "3/4 teaspoon of urid dal", at the beginning of cooking a dish which doesn't otherwise contain dal. Examples here and here, and I have enough examples in my cookbooks to verify that this way of starting a dish is both traditional and not limited to a particular dish.
I made such a dish a week ago (from a Madhur Jaffrey recipe), and I can't say that the browned dal was in any way detectable in the finished food. So ... what's the point? Why fry 1-2 tsp of dal like it was a spice? Is this maybe a way of testing when the oil is hot enough?
Best Answer
In a dry dish - eg lemon rice, or a dish following the thoran pattern - a teaspoon of urad dal will definitely be noticeable by giving a crunchy element.
Do not forget that indian recipes tend to use old school spoon sizes for measurement - a random piece of contemporary flatware will not give you a good approximation here.
Washing and soaking the urad dal for an hour or so can be a good idea if you do not know hold old the dal you are getting is (especially if cooking such dishes when not in India) - too crunchy urad dal could turn into a molar menace.
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What is the significance of dal in Indian cuisine?
Dal is also the name for the thick pur\xe9e, stew or soup made from these legumes. It may be a nutritious, humble meal served with rice, or it may be just one of several dishes served as part of a more complex meal. It is found on every Indian table every day, rich or poor, rain or shine.What is dal fry made of?
Dal fry is a popular lentil recipe made from soft-cooked dal (lentils) which is then saut\xe9ed in a masala made of onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, and spices in ghee or oil. Typically the saute process in India is called fry and hence the name Dal fry although there is no real frying or deep frying involved.What does dal mean in Indian?
Derived from the Sanskrit word that means \u201cto split\u201d, dal is a collective term for pulses\u2014lentils, peas, and beans. While sometimes used in other dishes, these pulses are usually served slow-simmered into a soft, porridge-like dish that's also called dal.How do you eat Indian dal?
Like a soup? In Indian households, we eat our dal with roti, rice, or dosa. With the carb component you have a complete protein and an amazing meal at that. I encourage folks that take my classes to think of dal as a side to bread and/or rice or as a soup.How to Make Dal Fry -Toor, Yellow lentils Recipe- Simple and Easy Dal Fry Recipe
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