6 Regional Dal Varieties That Are Perfect For Summer

By Ujjainee Roy

May 2, 2024

Dal is an ideal source of protein for your summer diet; not only is it a digestible, plant-based protein but also has some other essential nutrients that can boost your overall health. Here are some regional dal recipes which are perfect for the summer. Let's check it out!

Gujarati Dal

Gujarati dal is a light and mildly sweet and it's made from toor dal and flavored with spices like mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafoetida. It is often tempered with curry leaves, dried red chilies, and sometimes jaggery or sugar to balance the flavours.

Punjabi Dal Tadka

Dal tadka is a popular Punjabi dish made from yellow lentils cooked with onions, tomatoes, and spices. Punjabi dal tadka is hearty and nutritious, perfect for pairing with steamed rice or naan bread.

Rajasthani Panchmel Dal

Panchmel dal, also known as panchratna dal, is a traditional Rajasthani dish made from a blend of five different lentils: toor dal, chana dal, moong dal, masoor dal, and urad dal. The lentils are cooked together with spices like turmeric, red chili powder, and coriander powder.

Maharashtrian Varan

Varan is a simple and comforting Maharashtrian dal made from split pigeon peas cooked with turmeric, salt, and a tempering of ghee, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. It is typically served with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee, and sometimes garnished with freshly grated coconut.

Bengali Chholar Dal

Cholar dal is a Bengali dal dish made from split Bengal gram cooked with coconut, ginger, green chilies, and spices like cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves. It has a slightly sweet and aromatic flavor, thanks to the addition of coconut and whole spices, and is often served with luchi.

Andhra pappu

Pappu is a staple dal dish in Andhra Pradesh, typically made from toor dal cooked with onions, tomatoes, green chilies, and tamarind paste. It is seasoned with a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida, which adds depth of flavor to the dish.