How To Make Dhal

Split peas is a favorite at home. It is also very simple to prepare. Generally, when we think of split peas we think of dhal, but sometimes split peas is cooked with a salted meat such as pig tail, smoked bone, or salt fish to give it a unique flavour. Dhal is one of our no-fuss meals that goes great with rice, or roti. Now that you know how to make a dhal gutney you can try it out when making this recipe and experience how we really make dhal in Trinidad and Tobago.

DHAL

1 cup split peas

1 small onion

1 pimento

4 leaves chadon beni

1/2 tsp. geera (cumin) powder

1/2 tsp. saffron (hardi) powder

4 cloves garlic

3 cups water

oil for chongkaying

Salt to taste

Soak the split peas overnight. Chop the onion, pimento, and chadon beni.

Pour the peas, onion, pimento, 2 cloves garlic, chadon beni and
saffron powder in a pressure cooker with the water for about 15 minutes.

When done, add salt...

geera...

and swizzle well, preferably with a dhal gutney,

to a pureed consistency.

Chongkay the dhal by frying the other two cloves of garlic in a kalchul and when brown add to the dhal. Caution: this process makes a loud frying sound when the hot oil and garlic is added. To prevent burns, when the oil is added, cover the pot with the pot cover at once.

Hope you enjoyed; lots more recipes to come.