Share
Dal or lentils are considered a staple in the Indian kitchen pantry. An Indian meal is incomplete without a dish made from dal. Some of the classic meal combinations are rice and lentil curry, or dal-chawal, khichdi or a savoury lentil porridge, or dal-roti, which is lentil curry with flatbread. One of the common ingredients in all these recipes is dal.
There are several different lentils that are used to prepare delicious and nutritious curries and other savoury dishes in Indian cuisine. Dal holds an important place in the lunch and dinner meals of millions of Indians. Apart from the dal tadka or curry, this protein-rich ingredient can be incorporated as a stuffing in many dishes that add depth and richness.
Here are some of the dishes that can be made with stuffing made from dal. Take a look:
- Dal Paratha
If you’re bored of indulging in regular paratha, revamp the dish by adding dal stuffing to it. To make this nutritious and comforting meal, cook the dal seasoning with spices like cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Mash the dal to make a thick stuffing. This savoury filling is then stuffed in the whole wheat dough, rolled out into a paratha-shape, and cooked on a tawa till golden brown. Some of the dals used to make this paratha are tur dal, moong dal, masoor dal, chana dal and more. Enjoy the dal-stuffed paratha with a dollop of yoghurt or pickle.
- Ulundu Kozhukattai
Ulundu kozhukattai, also known as Ulutham Poornam Kozhukattai or urad dal modak, is a traditional dish prepared during the celebration of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival in India. This dish is made with urad dal, which is soaked, ground, and steamed. The prepared urad dal mixture is then shaped into small ovals, stuffed into a wrapper made of rice flour and steamed to complete the dish.
- Dal Stuffed Kachori
You must have had hing kachori and pea kachori, but one of the most common and easy-to-make kachoris is that of dal. The spiced dal filling is stuffed in a dough made with refined flour. The filling includes cooked lentils mixed with a medley of spices like fennel seeds, hing, and amchur powder. These doughs are shaped into balls and then rolled out. They are deep-fried till golden brown and served hot with savoury side dishes like dum aloo or chutney made of coriander or tamarind.
- Dal-Stuffed Capsicum
This is an innovative recipe that can be an excellent crowd-pleaser. You can use colourful bell peppers that are filled with a dal mixture. To prepare this dish, bell peppers are hollowed out and filled with a cooked dal mixture that is seasoned with spices like turmeric, red chilli powder, and garam masala. The stuffed bell peppers are then baked and garnished with coriander leaves. This dish is packed with protein and other essential nutrients.
- Dal Stuffed Idli
Idli are traditional South Indian recipes made with rice. However, a flavourful twist can be provided with dal stuffing. Dal-stuffed idlis are crafted by soaking and grounding dal and mixing it with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and grated coconut. Small parts of this dal mixture are placed at the centre of the idli batter-filled moulds before steaming. This results in soft and fluffy idlis with a burst of wholesome dal flavour. Serve this with coconut chutney and sambar.
- Dal Stuffed Bread Rolls
If you’re planning to serve your guests with delightful snacks or appetisers that combine the goodness of dal and bread, this recipe is for you. To make these rolls, slices of bread are flattened with a rolling pin, filled with a savoury dal mixture, and rolled out into cylindrical shapes. The rolls are then dipped in a spiced-up besan mixture and fried till golden brown. Serve these bread rolls with ketchup or chutney.
