Dhal, a staple in Trinidadian cooking. We make this dish alongside curries or to be eaten alone like a soup or with roti *flat bread*. It’s healthy, flavorful and filling.
So funny story, when I was a teenager I was a bit rebellious *What? Really?! No way!*… I know, hard to believe right!? Anyway, my mom was forcing me to learn how to cook and I wanted no part of it, so I was throwing a hissy fit about cooking dhal and deliberately doing it wrong so she would just get mad at me and shoo me away. Well….she didn’t and I got a pot spoon thrown at me and she made me count each grain of dhal *split peas* in the package! Ever since then I’ve hated dhal and refused to make it! *Yeah! I’ll show her!!*
Years later, I’m pregnant and craving dhal and I didn’t know how to make it! According to Caribbean superstition, when you get pregnancy cravings and you don’t satisfy it, your child will be born with a birthmark shaped like what you were craving! And I was not about to have a child with a dhal birthmark on his head! 😁
Luckily my sister Giselle was visiting me and she is the best dhal maker I know *Yeah! Take that mom!!*, so I paid close attention and wrote down this recipe. I like my dhal not too thick and not too runny, just in the middle.
RECIPE
1 cup yellow split peas
2 1/2 cups water
7 grains garlic
1/2 onion chopped (medium)
1/2 habanero pepper ( keep whole if you want the flavor and not the heat)
1/4 tsp saffron powder
2 pimento peppers finely chopped (or you can use jalapeños)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp whole geera (cumin)
DIRECTIONS
1. Soak split peas for a couple hours and drain.
2. Boil 2 1/2 cups of water and then add the peas.
3. Add the 5 garlic grains, onion, peppers and saffron powder.
4. Let boil until peas are very soft and tender.
5. In a small pan, heat oil and add 2 grains garlic and geera, let it brown over low heat.When the garlic is brown, carefully pour the oil mixture into your split peas. (This process is called chunkaying)
6. Whisk the mixture or puree until smooth and add salt to taste (about a tsp)
TIP: If your dhal is too thick you can add hot water until you get to your desired texture.
If your in a rush or forgot to soak the split peas…you can pressure cook them…add them into the pressure cooker …cover with water plus some…add some oil…about 2-3tablespoons…if u do this without the oil its gonna be a nightmare….pressure cook for about 15-20mins or until it reaches consistency that you like…and from this point onwards back to recipe above… 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Great tip Govin thank you!
LikeLike
Such pretty pictures! This looks delicious and surprisingly not too difficult 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! You’re sweet 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for this recipe. It is true comfort food–especially on a cold Canadian spring day. And yes, I am a pressure cooker user as well, and see garbanzo beans going from rock hard dryness to tenderness in 30 min. when cooked in the right amount of water. Truly there is nothing lost just because it is quick. In fact, because it is under pressure and so quick, the nutrients are not lost the way the are when something cooks for a very long time. I do believe–because we all are different–this dahl would appeal to me more without the whole cumin, and perhaps cilantro at the end with a squeeze of fresh lemon and lots of cracked pepper. But the saffron threads and heat of the habanero and the nice strong punch of the garlic is going to be so great. Thank you so much.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re so very welcome! I would love to use a pressure cooker but I’ve seen one explode on my mom so I have a terrible fear of them 😁😁 I love your addition of cilantro, I’ll toss some in next time! I hope you enjoy the recipe 💜
LikeLike
This looks delicious!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much 💜
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on WINE OUT OF WATER and commented:
One of my favorite things to eat for breakfast, snack and dinner- dhal.
It’s yellow (or green) split peas. Natasha, one of my long-time school friends, blogged the recipe here. It’s delicious, gluten-free, dairy free and very nutritious and filling- an excellent source of protein, iron, fiber, antioxidants and vitamin E; say goodbye to brain fog! Plus it’s pretty cheap and easy to make! You can eat it by itself like a soup, with gluten-free nan/purri or even with green veggies (I like to eat it with sauteed kale. Because what *doesn’t* go with kale?)
Try it- you’ll love it! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks for reblogging! And you’re so right, it really is good for you especially when your tummy is a bit on the fritz 😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sure thing! Right before I got my hashi diagnosis, I realized this is one of the foods I craved so much that I started making a pot of dhal at least once a week. Now I know why- it’s exactly what my body needed to start healing! Thanks for the recipe; I usually just boil it the easy way- didn’t know about the chunkay…thing…will def try it next time I make a pot! ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh you’ve got to chunkay it! That’s where all the flavor is! I’m so glad you’re going to try my recipe! 😁 Let me know what you think!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on The Ugly Duckling's Life and commented:
hands down best comfort food..
In India we have chunkaying(we call it ‘tadka’) is in various different ways.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for reblogging! I would love to hear more about your way of chunkaying! My grandmother is Indian and this is the way she makes it 🙂
LikeLike
Ohh.. there are few ways. One of them is in typical Gujarati way. Then other one is the way we usually cook curry.
Umm.. I think I wont make sense this way, I’ll try and write down my chunkaying methods for you and thn send it. How does that sound?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That would be perfect! I’m so interested in the different methods of cooking! I would also love to learn more about tandoori!
LikeLike
ohh… that is one of my favorite.. basically It’s all about marination in that and thn you need to barbecue it. but if you can find the tandoor(Indian bbq) it’s best..coz you can get the particular smokey flavor.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never seen one in California! My mom had one a long time ago in the Caribbean.
LikeLike
Oh no.. California is missing out 😦 .. but you can bbq it anyway.. it’ll taste great..
LikeLiked by 1 person
My neighbor invited me over and she served tandoori chicken, it was so good! Do you have a really good recipe?
LikeLike
if you’d like, google Sanjeev Kapoor, he’s brilliant Indian chef. His method of cooking Tandoori chicken is spot on.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok I’ll google him now!! Thank you so much!
LikeLike
Anytime girl.. ❤
LikeLiked by 1 person
I found him! And he’s on YouTube too! I don’t think I have all the spices for the tandoori. I’ll have to find a spice shop!
LikeLike
Ohh.. Lemme know if you get all. All the best in spice hunt..😊
LikeLike
Haha, your stories are funny! I’m from India & dal is staple, comfort food to me! Your version is quite similar to the Indian one 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you! Please tell my hubs that! He doesn’t think I’m funny at all! 😁😁 I am half Indian, that might explain the similarity. I absolutely love Indian food!
LikeLike
I too always thought of dhal as indian (my hubby) is of indian background – so great to see a version from Trinidad!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it’s an Indian dish! Many Indians settled in the Caribbean so you’ll find alot of similarity in our foods! Trinidad is a melting pot of cultures and it shows in the food! Do you and the hubs make dhal at home?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks and yes we make dhal at home – not as often we we should as we always go-to meat based curries!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Curries are just the best aren’t they! So easy to make and delicious!
LikeLike
This looks excellent! I think I’m craving it! I love the story, too – I call that attitude “creative incompetence!” I’m sure your Mom would be proud if she could see yours. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much! She actually said that she likes mine better than hers! I think I fainted for 5 minutes as she usually never admits to anything, much like my daughter 😂😂
LikeLiked by 1 person
haha! Like my sister!
LikeLiked by 1 person
There’s one everywhere lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on chadisrad1405's Blog.
LikeLike
BAAAHAHAHAA… deliberately doing it all wrong so that you could get out of cooking- HILARIOUSSSS, and it backfired, boom! And ummmmm, now you have a FOOD blog!!! Oh how things change, right?! Love the story and LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
My mom is a sorcerer, I’m convinced! None of my shenanigans ever worked. One day I’ll get the best of her… One day soon! 👾 I’m so glad you enjoyed my painful story and recipe lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
A sorcerer!!! HAHAHHA I just LOL’ed. You’re hilarious, love it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Please tell that to my husband, because he clearly doesn’t realize that I am the funny one in this family!
LikeLiked by 1 person
We love Dal/Dhal/Dahl too! Never quite sure how to spell it, as each country seems to have their own unique way to do it. 🙂 Hey, I have just nominated you for a blog award!
justhttps://gardentokitchenwithsuz.wordpress.com/2015/04/28/sisterhood-of-the-world-bloggers-award-2/
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Suz! In the Caribbean we call it dhal, but in most parts of India they say dal. Thank you so much for the nomination! I’ve just been to your blog and I’m reading about your accidentally pulled baby carrot ha! I’m looking forward to learning so much from you! Cheers! 🙂
LikeLike