The many ways to eat lentils in India…

26 Jun

Lentils are one of the staples in Indian cooking. Dal, as it is known in India, is the definitely the pulse of choice.

The most traditional way of eating lentils are in a stew format to eat over rice, very much like we eat rice and beans in Latin countries. The difference when we cook lentils, is that you can still see the lentils in the dish.

Indians tend to cook their lentils until they become mush, where the lentils just disappear and just look like a very soft puree. I will share with you a recipe given to me by a friend in which you cook yellow/orange lentils until they become this creamy consistency. They’re delicious…

Lentil Collage

A new way I discovered having lentils is in Moong Dal. The best way I can describe this is a lentil krispy… imagine a rice krispy, but with lentils. Get it now??

Moong Dal is crispy and salty… they pop in your mouth and they’re a real treat to eat. We discovered them in a store at an airport and enjoyed them on the road as a snack often. We even got to bring some home to enjoy. But remember they’re still lentils, filled with protein, so they can be heavy on your stomach if you eat too much at a time. So be careful not to overdo them… ok??

And my favorite way to eat lentils… papadams!!!! These are crispy wafers, like a tortilla meets a chip, made usually from lentils or chickpea flour. They’re served as a snack or as an accompaniment to some main dish. I got them served to complement Yogurt Rice, a favorite in South India. More about the Yogurt Rice in an upcoming post…

These papadams are addictive… I would eat mine, my mom’s and my friend’s papadams, if they were not interested in them. They are like the best Indian chip you will ever find. This is a very delicious way to get your protein on.

 

What is YOUR favorite way to eat a lentil?? I want to know…

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6 Responses to “The many ways to eat lentils in India…”

  1. abd22mah22 June 26, 2013 at 9:33 am #

    Reblogged this on shafaqalam and commented:
    Asian dal
    You can get the pure Asian test .

  2. An Urban Mystic June 26, 2013 at 12:57 pm #

    Aaaah…there’s no place like home!

  3. duodishes June 28, 2013 at 7:09 pm #

    We have a coconut green curry lentil recipe on the site. That was a top fave for lentils so far. Papadum are good too!

    • KarmaFree Cooking July 1, 2013 at 8:51 am #

      Post a copy of your recipe here if you can… I am not familiar with curries, to be honest. A green one sounds very delicious!!! Madelyn.

  4. Bren @ Flanboyant Eats™ June 28, 2013 at 7:14 pm #

    Never heard of those crispy wafers but I love me some dahl. Had some recently in Fiji. So good. I love how you travel.

    • KarmaFree Cooking July 1, 2013 at 8:52 am #

      Thanks Bren… coming from you, it’s a great compliment. You sure do your own share of traveling yourself. I am jelly about Australia and New Zealand. Soon enough. 😉 Madelyn.

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