Quality Living Styles

Easy Dinner Recipes

Dhall or Yellow Split Peas Soup

Dhall is a dish that is daily fare in many Indian homes. It can be eaten by itself as a soup, or as a gravy accompaniment to rice and curries. My family enjoy it with buttered, toasted bread as well. Dhall can be made from many lentils, which are a very good source of protein. These include dried peas, dried chick peas, mung, amongst others. Lentils can be used in a variety of ways to make interesting meals.

I use a pressure cooker to make dhall, as it is a real time saver. If you decided to go this method, please follow the directions for using a pressure cooker. The images on the right show dhalls made by 2 cooks. The colors vary, depending on the lentil used and the amount of tomato or turmeric that is used. But they are all nourishing and delicious.




Ingredients

  • 1 cup split peas
  • ¼ cup onion
  • ½ cup tomato
  • 3 cloves garlic or 1½ tsp. crushed garlic
  • ½ tsp. crushed ginger
  • 4 tablespoon Canola or Olive oil
  • 1½ teaspoon salt,(or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1-1½ teaspoon cumin/Jeera powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon hing/asofoetida powder (optional, although, it does add to the flavor)
  • 1 tablespoon butter (optional)
  • 3-5 cups of boiling water

Method

  • Heat3 cups of water. Discard any foreign matter amongst the lentils
  • Wash lentils and then add it to the boiling water "foam" will develop. Scoop it and discard it.
  • In a separate pot, heat oil
  • Add mustard seeds, put on lid as seeds pop
  • Add onions, when soft, add ginger and garlic
  • Add tomato and cook until mushy
  • Add turmeric, cumin powder, salt and hing, (if using)
  • Add the the contents of this pot to the pot to the dhall pot and continue cooking. (all these steps can be done in the pressure cooker)
  • Lower the temperature and allow it to cook until lentils are mushy
  • Add more water if the lentils appear dry. The cooked lentils should be of pouring consistency, but not as runny as water
  • Add the butter if you prefer a richer taste
  • The total cooking time is approximately 45 minutes-1 hour. If a pressure cooker is used, a very nice consistency is achieved in approximately 20 minutes
variety of lentils

Lentils and Beans

A variety of lentils. An excellent source of protein

Dhall

Dhall or Split Pea Soup.
Tasty and nourishing and used as a gravy

Dhall

Dhall or Split Pea Soup.
Tasty and nourishing and used as a gravy

If you have any questions or would like to add a recipe of your own, email me, Nirmala, at email address
I will be happy to help with inquiries. The site will be regularly updated with tasty recipes, hints and tips. You will find my contact information at Contact