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Masoor dal

Masoor dal prepared using traditional yellow dal recipe

Dal (also spelled dahl, dhal or daal) (Devanagari दाल, Banglaদ্দাল) is a preparation of pulses (dried beans) which have been stripped of their outer hulls and split. It also refers to the thick, spicy stew prepared therefrom, a mainstay of Indian, Pakistani, and Bangladeshi cuisine. In South India dal is used to make the dish called sambar. The word Dal derives from the Sanskrit term to split.

Common varieties of dal

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• Toor dal (called toor dal (Marathi),tuvar dal (Gujarati), arhar dal (in Uttar Pradesh, Orissa & Bengal) or togari bele (Kannada), kandi pappu (Telugu), tuvara parippu (Malayalam) or tuvaram paruppu in (Tamil)) - yellow pigeon peas; available either plain or oily
• Chana dal - (chholar dal in Bengali, (Buta daali in Orissa) sanaga pappu (Telugu) or kadale bele (Kannada), or kadalai paruppu (Tamil)) - split chickpeas without seedcoat. Chana dal is produced by removing the skin of Kala chana and then splitting it. Although machines can do this, it can be done at home by soaking the whole chickpeas, and removing the loose skins by placing the chickpeas between two towels and rubbing with a rolling pin.
• Kala chana - small chickpeas with brown skins - Kondai kadalai in Tamil. In the US and Canada it is known as desi chickpea and the variety most used is called Myles. It is very disease resistant.
• Kabuli dal - known for its black coat, it is an average size chickpea. It grows naturally with the black coat (not roasted as some believe) and it is said to be nuttier in flavor.
• Mung dal (pesara or uddhi pappu (Telugu) or paasi paruppu (Tamil)) - mung beans or hesaru bele (Kannada),
• Urad dal (kolai dal (Bengali) ( Biri daali Orissa) or minapa pappu Telugu or ulutham paruppu (Tamil)) - urad, sometimes referred to as black gram or uddina bele (Kannada),
• Masoor dal - red lentils
• Rajma dal - kidney beans