LENTILS: THE DISH OF SRI LANKA
I never understood my love for Dal Curry. But every day after track practice I would stumble into my house exhausted. I would think to myself “all I want is a warm meal” and every day when I walked in the aroma of cooked food would waft into my nose. The smell of other dishes would sometimes overwhelm my taste buds but, there was one dish that would always delicately tickle my senses. Then as I walk into the kitchen, limping because of a hard days practice, there would always be a giant bowl of yellow-orange Dal Curry ready for me. And even though I would never tell my mom that I loved this curry, she could always tell by the way I would take a giant portion compared to her other dishes. Ultimately this is the dish I associate with my moms cooking.
Dal curry is not only my favorite Sri Lankan dish but also a symbol of Sri Lanka. The recipe is as old as the island itself, passed down generation to generation. One of the main reasons it is so old yet popular is because it has a high protein content. Even though the country in itself is not highly vegetarian people eat it because it is a cheap substitute for meat. Another reason why dal curry is so popular is because there are many ways to make it. For example my mom makes it creamy like soup while my aunt makes it almost without any liquid. These changes between dishes are usually because of region where one grew up.
Even though certain types of food are eaten during separate times of the day Dal Durry can be eaten whenever. For example my mother came from an area where it was common to eat dal curry in the morning. People would glaze it on top of bread and rice noodles to add flavor to the normally dry bread. Where as my dad grew up eating Dal Curry during dinner as a compliment to rice. The curry his mom made was less creamy than what I am used to but never the less it’s still delicious. Today I can eat Dal Curry as any meal of the day. No matter what other Sri Lankan dish my mom makes, she always makes Dal Curry as well.
When my mom called a couple of days ago asking what I wanted her to make when I came home I began listing all of the common Sri Lankan dishes: chicken, fish, shrimp, cooked cashews, and spiced coconut. But on the plane ride home I remembered I forgot to say to make dal curry. Disappointed, the night lost some of its excitement just because I thought she didn’t make my favorite dish. However as I opened the door to the house, the same distinct smell that I ate everyday drifted into my nose. And as I came into the kitchen there was a bright orange bowl of dal curry waiting for me to devour.
Serves (4)
Ingredients
2 Cups of water
2 Cups Masoor Dhal
Unroasted curry powder
Turmeric powder
1 1/2 table spoon of salt
1 cup of coconut milk
1 medium sized pot
1 cooking pan
Tempering Ingredients
1/2 of an Onion (finely chopped)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 Sprig curry leaf
Pandan leaf
2 tspn Mustard seeds
1 tspn Cumin seeds
2 or 3 dried red chillies
Cooking Process
(1) Rinse the Dhal well with water and add to the pot then add the 2 cups of water
(2) Next add un-roasted curry powder and turmeric powder and cook well (10-15 minutes)
(3) When the Dhal is done add salt to taste
(4) Now mix in the coconut milk and take it off the stove.
(5) For tempering heat a non stick pan and add a little cooking oil and brown the sliced onions.
(6) Add the rest of the ingredients except for the chillies (cook for 10 minutes)
(7) Add a little bit of red chillie powder for a nice aroma and taste
(8) Mix in with the Dal and stir
Dal curry is not only my favorite Sri Lankan dish but also a symbol of Sri Lanka. The recipe is as old as the island itself, passed down generation to generation. One of the main reasons it is so old yet popular is because it has a high protein content. Even though the country in itself is not highly vegetarian people eat it because it is a cheap substitute for meat. Another reason why dal curry is so popular is because there are many ways to make it. For example my mom makes it creamy like soup while my aunt makes it almost without any liquid. These changes between dishes are usually because of region where one grew up.
Even though certain types of food are eaten during separate times of the day Dal Durry can be eaten whenever. For example my mother came from an area where it was common to eat dal curry in the morning. People would glaze it on top of bread and rice noodles to add flavor to the normally dry bread. Where as my dad grew up eating Dal Curry during dinner as a compliment to rice. The curry his mom made was less creamy than what I am used to but never the less it’s still delicious. Today I can eat Dal Curry as any meal of the day. No matter what other Sri Lankan dish my mom makes, she always makes Dal Curry as well.
When my mom called a couple of days ago asking what I wanted her to make when I came home I began listing all of the common Sri Lankan dishes: chicken, fish, shrimp, cooked cashews, and spiced coconut. But on the plane ride home I remembered I forgot to say to make dal curry. Disappointed, the night lost some of its excitement just because I thought she didn’t make my favorite dish. However as I opened the door to the house, the same distinct smell that I ate everyday drifted into my nose. And as I came into the kitchen there was a bright orange bowl of dal curry waiting for me to devour.
Serves (4)
Ingredients
2 Cups of water
2 Cups Masoor Dhal
Unroasted curry powder
Turmeric powder
1 1/2 table spoon of salt
1 cup of coconut milk
1 medium sized pot
1 cooking pan
Tempering Ingredients
1/2 of an Onion (finely chopped)
1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
1 Sprig curry leaf
Pandan leaf
2 tspn Mustard seeds
1 tspn Cumin seeds
2 or 3 dried red chillies
Cooking Process
(1) Rinse the Dhal well with water and add to the pot then add the 2 cups of water
(2) Next add un-roasted curry powder and turmeric powder and cook well (10-15 minutes)
(3) When the Dhal is done add salt to taste
(4) Now mix in the coconut milk and take it off the stove.
(5) For tempering heat a non stick pan and add a little cooking oil and brown the sliced onions.
(6) Add the rest of the ingredients except for the chillies (cook for 10 minutes)
(7) Add a little bit of red chillie powder for a nice aroma and taste
(8) Mix in with the Dal and stir