No matter which month of the year it is, dal or lentils are always an integral part of our Indian meals. While a moong dal-vegetable stew or a simple masoor dal is usually on the menu, every once in a while, we like a meal of creamy lentil stew with stuffed parathas and raita. Such a meal is specially comforting in winter, when the temperatures drop below freezing point and threaten to drop further...
While Dal Makhani and Dal Bukhara are the popular North Indian lentil preparations, a mixed dal stew like this one is an everyday affair. You can prepare it with which ever dal you have at hand or an assortment of the lentils in your pantry... Just make sure you add a tablespoon or two of whole or split urad dal to the mixture and simmer the lentils along with the spices for a good 30 minutes to an hour. And there....you are ready for a treat..
Urad dal is one of the lentils that is extensively used in south Indian cooking. Besides being used to prepare dosas, papad and vada, small amounts of urad is roasted along with the spices in the preparation of south Indian stir fries. In North India it is mostly used to prepare dals. When cooked by itself, split urad dal feels a bit slippery. Though many like its texture, it is not a favorite at our house. We however, enjoy it in rich winter dals such as this. Without a drop of extra cream it does wonders to the texture and flavor of the dish at hand...
Urad dal also has several health benefits. It is rich in iron and believed to be particularly essential for women undergoing menstruation. Different from red meat and other sources of iron, urad dal does not contain high calories and fat. It is a rich and inexpensive source of protein and contains both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers which help in digestion. Because of its high magnesium and folate levels it is also believed to promote cardiovascular health. However when consumed in excess it can cause flatulence... so a recipe like this mixed lentil stew is just right if you want to enjoy the benefits of urad dal without over indulging in it.
In Bengali, Panch meshali dal translates to a 'stew of five dals.' I am not sure if such a dal is part of traditional Bengali cuisine but something similar is popular in North India. It goes by the name of "Panch Ratani Dal" or Panchmel dal. The initial plan was to follow Tarla Dalal's recipe and cook Panch Ratani for dinner. But since the supplies at hand did not quite match up to Tarla-ji's list of ingredients I took a detour and cooked us Panch Meshali dal...
Urad dal is one of the lentils that is extensively used in south Indian cooking. Besides being used to prepare dosas, papad and vada, small amounts of urad is roasted along with the spices in the preparation of south Indian stir fries. In North India it is mostly used to prepare dals. When cooked by itself, split urad dal feels a bit slippery. Though many like its texture, it is not a favorite at our house. We however, enjoy it in rich winter dals such as this. Without a drop of extra cream it does wonders to the texture and flavor of the dish at hand...
Urad dal also has several health benefits. It is rich in iron and believed to be particularly essential for women undergoing menstruation. Different from red meat and other sources of iron, urad dal does not contain high calories and fat. It is a rich and inexpensive source of protein and contains both soluble and insoluble dietary fibers which help in digestion. Because of its high magnesium and folate levels it is also believed to promote cardiovascular health. However when consumed in excess it can cause flatulence... so a recipe like this mixed lentil stew is just right if you want to enjoy the benefits of urad dal without over indulging in it.
In Bengali, Panch meshali dal translates to a 'stew of five dals.' I am not sure if such a dal is part of traditional Bengali cuisine but something similar is popular in North India. It goes by the name of "Panch Ratani Dal" or Panchmel dal. The initial plan was to follow Tarla Dalal's recipe and cook Panch Ratani for dinner. But since the supplies at hand did not quite match up to Tarla-ji's list of ingredients I took a detour and cooked us Panch Meshali dal...