Possibly stupid question for Indian cooks about lentils

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We really enjoy restaurants’ dal makhni and I would like to try making this at home.

Where in MoCo can I buy ghee?

Might anyone have a recipe to share?

Thanks.

Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Wegmans all sell ghee. I make this recipe often and it is excellent.
https://www.sanjanafeasts.co.uk/2024/01/dal-makhani-recipe-slow-cooker-instant-pot/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Curry is just a generic word.

Isn’t dal too?

um.....no.....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We really enjoy restaurants’ dal makhni and I would like to try making this at home.

Where in MoCo can I buy ghee?

Might anyone have a recipe to share?

Thanks.

Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and Wegmans all sell ghee. I make this recipe often and it is excellent.
https://www.sanjanafeasts.co.uk/2024/01/dal-makhani-recipe-slow-cooker-instant-pot/

Giant , Safeway , Aldi , lidl sell ghee.
It’s with baking items (shortening, baking soda) but at Aldi it’s on end cap

[Anonymous]

I lived in India and learned to cook by watching others (they didn't have recipes). They never made heavy curries so I didn't learn that.

I played around with recipes online and the closest I got was using blended cashews in it. Added more of the umami flavor. Bottom line, I buy it rather than make it.

[Anonymous]

TJs ghee is a little bland if you’re used to the real thing. It doesn’t have the same color, taste or smell of the stuff you get in other countries.

[Anonymous]

While I often have ghee at home, I also often sub regular butter for ghee. I don’t think it’s a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We really enjoy restaurants’ dal makhni and I would like to try making this at home.

Where in MoCo can I buy ghee?

Might anyone have a recipe to share?

Thanks.

They sell Ghee at Giant — at least the one on OgR has it and that’s not a very good Giant. There is also an Indian grocery on OGR by the intersection with Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"Dal is a term for a variety of dishes made from dried, split pulses, like lentils, beans, and peas, that are slow-cooked until soft and porridge-like. The word "dal" comes from Sanskrit and means "to split".
It's a soup, so you don't pour it over rice.

"Curry" means a saucy dish in which you put meat or vegetables, on top of rice.

Dal is more watery than curry.

Dal is an accompaniment and a dish made from lentils and split pulses, legumes etc. So you can scoop it up with all kinds of indian breads or pour it over rice. It can be eaten as a soup or an accompaniment to carbs. Pour it on top of rice and mix it together to have your basic foundation of a meal. Add different kinds of curry dishes with different levels of dryness to it and there is no end to the sides that can be served with Indian meals.

Depending on the recipe and the ingredients, they can be slow-cooked or not. They can have cream or ghee in it, or not. They can be very runny to eat with rice and other grains, or thick to be scooped by Indian bread. They can be heavily spiced with various kinds of spices or herbs, or not. They can have vegetables added to eat or even meats, poultry or fish added to it. The variety of Indian cuisine is endless.

Nowadays, I am making basic Indian vegetarian meals most days for 6 people at home. My cooking time is usually 1 hour - hour and a half, to make both lunch and dinner - 2-3 vegetable curries or dishes, daal, rotis, rice pilaf, simple salad and a yogurt dish.