tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27340429.post115190168222953109..comments2024-01-01T09:56:18.017-05:00Comments on Sunday Night Dinner: Kanchan's DalAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03406856399107525937noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27340429.post-58772034368727342122008-07-17T23:07:00.000-04:002008-07-17T23:07:00.000-04:00Hi Alexan! Thanks for your comment.In answer to yo...Hi Alexan! Thanks for your comment.<BR/>In answer to your questions:<BR/>1. I used green chilies I bought at the Indian store. They were small, green chilies, like Thai bird chilies, but green. I don't see any reason you couldn't use jalapenos, but they are not as spicy.<BR/><BR/>2. Dal is so different! There are hundreds of different kinds, and they all cook differently. You can use channa dal, but it will take forever to 'melt,' or get to the point where the individual lentils dissolve. I used massoor dal, but you can use moong dal as well. You need the little kind that cooks quickly without the need for a pressure cooker.<BR/><BR/>3. Spice frying is tough. Don't walk away. Just stand there and stare at it like it's the most entertaining thing ever. If you hear it pop, or see it start to turn color (cumin will go slightly pink) then it's done. It goes from done to burnt in just a second, as you are well aware, so you really do have to stare at it. Another good way to tell if it's toasted is to wait for smell. The moment the fragrance of the spice hits you, it's done. And good beer... Kingfisher is a good Indian beer - very light. I would probably drink a Newcastle with dal, actually. Then again, I tend to drink Newcastle on many many occasions.<BR/><BR/>Hope this helped! Email me if you have more questions.Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03406856399107525937noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27340429.post-89200640957140632312008-07-16T14:58:00.000-04:002008-07-16T14:58:00.000-04:00I lived in India with a local family for three mon...I lived in India with a local family for three months and utterly failed to learn how to make anything except chapathi. I've been craving dal since I returned, but all my attempts have been disastrous. Your post has given me hope!<BR/><BR/>I really want to try this recipe, in hopes of producing something edible. I have a couple questions though:<BR/><BR/>1. What kind of chilies do you use? Serrano? JalapeƱo? I've been leaving them out of the recipes I've tried since the ones I saw in India don't seem to be available here.<BR/><BR/>2. I guess it doesn't matter too much, but what kind of dal did you use? Surprisingly, moong dal, chana dal, and yellow lentils (toovar dal) are all different things. But generally interchangeable.<BR/><BR/>3. I seem to be quite capable of burning the cumin seeds without a trip to the tavern. Any spice-frying hints or recommendations of a good beer to serve with this dal?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27340429.post-1152043264315131222006-07-04T16:01:00.000-04:002006-07-04T16:01:00.000-04:00Wow - I didn't realize that lentils were so high i...Wow - I didn't realize that lentils were so high in iron and fiber! I've always loved lentils, but now I can share that info with a friend of mine who has low iron and is always trying to get it up (but doesn't like meat very much!). Thanks for sharing the details. Plus, dal is sooo good, and I've never made it before.Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02537200901718762277noreply@blogger.com