Dal - split legume or split beans

dal - split legume, split beans

Buy most of the spices and dals in Indian stores. I store my spices in glass jars in the freezer. It is best to use legumes and dals within 4-6 months but when I purchase them in bulk and need to store them outside the refrigerator, I add 1 tsp of boric acid to them and store them in a tight lid container. Always wash these dal (rubbing with your fingers) at least 3 times to wash off the boric powder.

Dals and beans have high protein so it takes longer time to cook them. I use pressure cooker to cook them. I use pans that are made for pressure cooker. You can use any stainless steel pan that will fit inside a cooker. If you take 1/2 cups of dal or soaked/roasted beans, add 1.5 cups of water. I also add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (makes dal/beans more permissible to water, spices, salt etc and speeds cooking process) and 1/8 tsp asafoetida (anti-gas). Don't add asafoetida if you will be using garlic in the recipe.

Pressure cooker saves time and energy and cooks dals/beans well without fail.