Jazz up your everyday dal menu with basic recipes from celebrity chefs like Ranveer Brar, Sanjeev Kapoor, Harpal Singh Sokhi and Kunal Kapur. In these videos, they break down the basics to show how to add colour, amplify aromas and extract nutrition from lentils.
Ranveer Brar’s Dhaba-style dal fry
In thi video, Brar explains why tempering dal adds to its nutrition profile. Although the primary lentil is toor, he mixes in some moong dal for a ‘lacy’ texture. He says dhaba-style dal is heavy on fat content like ghee and butter and light lentils like moong and toor are needed as a balancing factor.
Ma Choleyaan di Dal by Sanjeev Kapoor
Kapoor shows the art of tempering in two steps so that the flavours come together well. The recipe belongs to the chef's mother. He says, in this dal red chilli powder is added for colour and garam masala infuses it with a delish aroma.
Sookhi Moong Daal by Harpal Singh Sokhi
The chef shares an Amritsari speciality redolent with flavours of whole black pepper and sliced ginger. The dal is cooked in water and milk, in the ratio of 2:1, for a rich and creamy texture. In the end, he adds a squeeze of lime for a lip-puckering sour flavour. With no onion and garlic, this recipe is perfect for those who fast during the festive season.
Dal Makhani by Kunal Kapur
Turn to a Punjabi chef to learn the recipe of their signature dal makhani loaded with butter. Kunal Kapur teaches a restaurant-style version with advise on how to cook it in low flame and why sour tomatoes are needed for an appetising flavour. “Let it simmer slowly and patiently,” he says in the video and adds that the dal tastes better the next day.
Also read | The unsung recipes with ‘urad dal’
