From: kupstas@tlab4.cs.unc.edu (Eileen Kupstas)
Newsgroups: rec.food.veg
Subject: RECIPE: No-fuss Dahl (or Simple Beans)
Date: 14 Apr 92 16:10:09 GMT
Organization: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

RFV has gone the full-cycle again.. back to the very low 
signal-to-noise ratio of months ago. Can we try the
"thousand points of recipes" system again? Please, try to
earn _your_ thousand points before adding to the noise and
not the signal.

This is my contribution to the signal (946 points to go! :-)
I beg the indulgence and corrections of those-more-
knowledgeable-than-I on the names and descriptions I give
for the Indian dahls (split peas/beans).

This is a simple, minimal fuss bean recipe based on some
recipes from Madhur Jaffrey's books. I don't claim
any authenticity. It certainly will not alarm any 
diners, as it is just plain, comfortable eating. The 
variations in spicing are numerous; feel free to vary 
what you use. The garlic and ginger provide a good
flavor base on top of which to add whatever strikes your
taste buds. (I'm sure there are some traditional, regional
ways to spice this -- I'ld love to hear the variations!) 

Eileen
------------------------------------------------------------- 


2 cups dahl [split beans/peas] (See notes below)
4 cups water
3 quarter-sized slices of fresh ginger (more if you like)
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half (more if you like)
1-1/2 tsp. tumeric (optional, but nice) 
2 tbls. vegetable oil or ghee (ghee is nicer, but I _have_ 
                                vegetable oil) 
2 tsp. whole cumin
2 tsp whole black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
salt to taste

Optional: 1/4 tsp ground cloves

Sort and rinse the beans. Place in a large-ish saucepan
with the water. Bring to a boil and skim off the foam
as it develops. Lower the heat to maintain a strong 
simmer and add the ginger, garlic and tumeric. Stir it
up gently, then loosely cover the pot (i.e. leave the 
lid slightly ajar). Let simmer until the beans are tender.
You may need to add water, depending upon the final 
consistency you are after. 
The time can vary according to the bean and the 
consistency you are after, but a round number is 1 hour
and 15 minutes. I prefer a soupy consistency, somewhat like
chunky split pea soup. You will need to stir occasionally
and skim off whatever foam develops. 
To finish: heat the oil or ghee in a frying pan. Once the
oil is hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds. Cover the pan
immediately and shake to prevent burning. You will smell
when the spices are ready-- about 20 seconds or less. Go 
under rather than over until you know what you are doing;
you want the spices roasted but not burned. Add the spices
and oil to the beans, along with the cayenne and salt (Add
cloves here, if using). Stir well.
Serve with rice or bread. (Remove the ginger chunks;
the rest will have cooked into mush.)
Chutneys or oil-based pickles go well with this; I won't  
vouch for the authenticity .....

You can grind the cumin and mustard seeds if you like. 
This gives a different flavor to the beans. The 
cooking time for the spices will be about 5 seconds then.

NOTE:
I have used several sorts of split beans with this recipe.
Mung dahl (split mung beans) -- very creamy flavor
Channa dahl (yellow split peas) - pronounced split pea flavor
Masoor dahl (split red lentils, or Egyptian lentils) - 
      very dull flavor; I use the ground cloves with these. 

Masoor dahl and channa dahl are available by their 
American names in many stores. I get Mung dahl at an
Asian foods store.   

These freeze very well. I usually make up about 4 
cups of dried beans at a time.