Bangladesh - Bengali Dal

This dal was so easy! It took about an hour to cook, but there was very minimal prep - I literally just cut the onions and measured the spices.

What is a dal, you ask? It's used in an Asian cuisine that refers to split pulses (lentils, peas and beans) and dishes that are made with them. 

A little bit about Bangladesh. Bangladesh is one of the least obese countries in the world - coming in at the seventh least obese. The Bengal Tiger is the country's national animal. And lastly, Bangladesh is the least visited country by tourists in the world! There are 1,273 residents to one!

I listened to a little Bengali music while I cooked this evening.

 

Bengali Dal

Serving size: 8

Cook Time: About an hour

1 cup red lentils (I had green lentils on hand, so I used those)

3 cups water

1 cup onion, thinly sliced, divided (If it's easier to dice, there's no harm)

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped, divided (2 tsp minced garlic)

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 bay leaf (I used 1/4 tsp of thyme)

3/4 cup cherry tomatoes (I used about half a can of canned tomatoes)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 (2 inch) whole serrano chile peppers (Optional) (I had some left over canned green chiles, so I sliced those up and threw them in)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (You can get away with no using this)

1. Combine lentils and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 of the sliced onions and 1/2 of the garlic, reserving the rest for later. Stir in turmeric, bay leaf, tomatoes, and salt. Add chiles, leaving them whole or add flavor or cut in half to add heat. When mixture begins to biol, reduce heat to a simmer; cook until lentils break apart and thicken slightly, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat until oil shimmers. Add reserved sliced onions; cook and stir until onion has softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue cooking and stirring until onion is very tender and dark brown, 15-20 minutes more. Stir in reserved garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is fragrant and tender, about 2 minutes.

3. Add onion-garlic mixture into cooked lentils and stir. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

In Bengali/Bangla....  আমি আমার ব্যাজ অর্জিত (I earned my badge)!