Trinidadian Dhal

Submitted by WizzyTheStick

"Personally I find this a bit bland but it is a traditional comfort food for my DH. He loves this with plain rice and fried fish or as a soup on it's own. If made without pepper, I find it to be a useful side dish to a very hot spicy curry."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 9
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 1 cup split peas
• 2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1⁄4 cup onion, finely chopped. (optional)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons oil or 2 teaspoons ghee
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed (geera)
• caribbean pepper sauce (optional)

directions

1. Boil split peas in 2 cups of water until it comes to the boil.
2. Add tumeric, 1 clove garlic, hot pepper and onion; cover, lower heat and cook until peas are tender; add more water if necessary.
3. Add salt to taste and purée until mixture becomes thick. (Use a swizzle stick, Dhal Gutnee or your blender).
4. Heat oil in a small pot; add cumin and remaining garlc and fry until brown.
5. Pour in split peas mixture add pepper sauce to taste and stir well.
6. Serve with hot rice or roti.
7. Nice first food for baby - minus the hot pepper of course.

Reviews

[Dee 9]

This recipe reminds me of my days living in Toronto back in the mid 80's. My roommate was from Trinidad and she got me hooked on Dhal. I had long forgot how to make this dish and was delighted to find this recipe. I did crush the geera and I used ghee instead of oil. Ghee is the only way to go. Thanks for sharing this recipe that's full of flavor and fond memories

 

[kyleinRH]

I LOVE Dhal. Some tips if you find it bland, add a bay leaf or 2 when you start boiling the dhal. Add a couple chunks of ginger (so they can be pulled out later) to your chunkay. Use more geera, maybe 1 1/2 Tsp (2 would be better) and give it a good pounding first (like in a mortar and pestle). A 1/2 tsp of curry powder is also nice. And a squeeze of lemon juice at the end helps to cut through the "pea" of the dhal.

 

[Sydney Mike]

Decidedly different, for someone with a more traditional Mid-Western taste buds, but I did like it & will keep the recipe to make again! I did change a couple of things, in that I omited the salt & the pepper sauce, but added some lemon pepper & found the salt in it was enough for me! I served it as a soup with a small amount of crumbed whole wheat crackers on top! Thanks for the recipe!