Dal (also daal or dhal) is the Indian word for dried, usually split pulses such as lentils, mung beans and chickpeas, and for the spiced, soupy dish made from them. Dal with rice or chapati is an everyday meal across much of India.
What types of dal are there?
The best known are masoor dal (red lentils), moong dal (mung beans), toor dal (pigeon peas), chana dal (desi chickpeas) and urad dal (urad beans). The overview with cooking times is in types of dal explained.
How do you cook dal?
Rinse the dal, cook it with water, turmeric and salt until soft, then pour over a tadka of ghee or oil with spices. Split dal is ready in 15 to 45 minutes.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is dal the same as lentils?
- Lentils are one kind of dal. Dal also covers mung beans, pigeon peas, urad beans and chickpeas.
- Is it spelled dal, daal or dahl?
- All three are used. Dal is the usual transliteration from Hindi; daal and dhal are variants.