Quarantine special Dal Kalbeliya. We are in uncertain times and probably even a month back we could not have comprehended that the magnitude of the ripples we had just started experiencing would get so intense. We are in phase of social distancing and isolation. And it is an act of wisdom, self-care and selflessness to take this current situation very seriously. We need to be calm and collected and literally stay put.
We are all at home and it is taking quite a bit of planning to make sure I remain productive and innovative with the meals and minimize going to the grocery store. So, a lot of planning around the pantry staples. We Indians have a ton of lentils in our pantry and lentils can be the most wholesome and shelf stable ingredient you can have around. And lentils are a source of good protein.
This Dal Kalbeliya, rice, alu bhaja (fried potato cubes), achar (pickle) alongside some red onions is a delicacy in my home. The Dal Kalbeliya is a recipe I came across many years back. In India there is a very famous chain of Hotels called the The Taj Hotels. And in one of my stays with them many years back I was gifted a book on regional cuisines. And this recipe was in that book.
The Dal Kalbeliya is a recipe from the western state of Rajasthan in India. The Kalbeliyas are a nomadic tribe in Rajasthan and they are known to be snake catchers. Their traditional profession would be to catch snakes and trade snake venom. There is a Kalbeliya dance which is a very popular folk dance in India and the gyrating moves of this dance make a perceptible reference to snakes and their movements. The Kalbeliya or Kalbelia costume that females wear is very attractive. Here is an image I grabbed from wikipedia.
I assume the nomenclature of the Dal Kalbeliya can be traced to the tribe but I have not found any written material on it. However, I love this recipe because of just how delicious and nutritious it is and it is a favorite in my house.
For the alu bhaja or potatoes you see here, they are just cubed potatoes, fried in mustard oil with turmeric and salt. Today I am going to blog a detailed recipe of the Dal Kalbeliya. Try it and let me know what you think.
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Quarantine Special – Dal Kalbeliya
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 60
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
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Pin RecipeDescription
A nutritious melange of lentils which is a wholesome, high and protein and nutritious meal by itself alongside rice or rotis.
Ingredients
Green Mung Dal – 100 grams (the original recipe calls for green mung without skin but I used with skin)
Tur Dal – 100 grams (split yellow lentils)
Masoor Dal – 100 grams (split red lentils)
Vegetable Oil – 2 tbsp
Ghee – 4 tbsp, divided
Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
Garlic – 2 tbsp, finely chopped
Onions – 1 large, finely chopped
Whole Red Chilies – 2
Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 3 tsp
Coriander Powder – 1 tbsp
Tomatoes – 2 medium sized, finely chopped
Garam Masala – 1 tsp
Salt – To taste
Cilantro – 3 tbsp, finely chopped
Instructions
Wash and rinse the lentils.
Fill a big pot with three times water as the volume of the lentils and boil with a couple of tsp of salt till cooked. It takes about 40 mins. Alternatively, you can pressure cook the dal.
Heat the oil and 2 tbsp of ghee in a sauce pan.
Add the cumin seeds, whole red chilies and let it crackle.
Now add the garlic, onion and saute till golden brown.
Add the red chili powder, turmeric powder and coriander powder and stir.
Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn soft and disintegrate.
Pour the boiled lentils and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasoning.
Finish off with garam masala, remaining ghee and cilantro.
Stir one more time and serve with dal and roti.
Keywords: dal kalbeliya, lentils, Indiandalrecipe, dalrecipe
Yes you can cook on stove top. In the same non-stick pan, place the bread, spread the cheese mixture and then cover and cook over a low flame for 5-6 mins. This will cause the cheese to melt.
I would assume that would work great too as the original Dal Kalbeliya recipe asked for green moong without the skin.
If you are pressure cooking the dals for Dal Kalbeliya, I cook for about 10 mins or 4-5 whistles.
I have tried replacing the toor dal with chana dal for Dal Kalbeliya and it works fine.