Indian Dahl

Indian dahl is a general term that comes from India used for the split and dried pulses – beans, peas, and lentils. In addition, it is frequently used to describe different kinds of soups based on pulses. These dahls were popular in India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for hundreds of years and now people all over the planet are interested in trying this food because they know how healthy it can be.

Yellow vs. green split peas

First of all, this dahl is  based on split peas or lentils. The main difference between green and yellow split peas is their genetic locus, which determines their color. They have a similar structure, a similar level and type of nutrients and they are prepared in the same way.

Yellow split peas, just like green split peas, are very nutritious. They contain a fair amount of calories and no fat. Split peas contain fiber and protein and a wide range of nutrients including tryptophan, molybdenum, manganese, folate, phosphorus, potassium and few other nutrients.

Health benefits of kale over spinach

If you read the recipe carefully, you will notice that you have an option to choose kale or spinach. Let’s say that both options are healthy and useful, and your personal preference should play the most important role in your final decision.

First of all, these green leafy vegetables have the same level of iron, which means that they are both good for the healthy blood. They also have a similar level of dietary fiber which is crucial for the work of the digestive system.

However, kale is a better source of vitamin A, or rather beta-carotene, which is a precursor of vitamin A. Vitamin A is very important for skin and eye health. Additionally, kale also has more vitamin C, which supports the process of regeneration of cells and many other processes in the body. Kale also contains some essential fatty acids.

Overall, kale contains more minerals and vitamins compared to spinach, but spinach is a better source of folate and iron.

Spinach is one of the highest source of oxalates, if not he highest, so people with history of oxalate kidney stones should probably not consume it on a daily basis. Moreover, while spinach contains calcium like any other leafy green that calcium is not that available, so do not count on spinach to prevent osteoporosis. Use kale instead.

On a flip side, we are getting more reports on kale soaking up high levels of toxic metal thallium from the soil that is contaminated with it. I have seen that happen even to a person that had her own organic garden in her backyard. Contamination cannot be controlled unless you use a green house and filter the water you use to water your plants. For one reason or another, kale has a high affinity for this particular toxic metal. If you have been eating a lot of kale and are not feeling excellent, I recommend testing for thallium.

Using fresh turmeric

The curry spice that was once used only in Indian cuisine is now available worldwide. Fresh turmeric comes with rhizomes that look quite similar to the ones found in ginger. Fresh turmeric has a much more vibrant taste compared to dried turmeric. Today, fresh turmeric is available in almost every grocery store. It stores well in a ziplog back in the freezer and that makes it very easy to grate it as needed for your cooking purposes- a microplane does a fabulous job of grating frozen ginger root – a little bit like shaving ice!

Using fresh turmeric is simple and easy and nowadays people use it in many different ways: to make juice, prepare tea, in marinades, potato salads, rice, soups and other foods. In this recipe, we suggest using fresh turmeric in Indian dahl. The flavor is much deeper and richer than when you use powder ginger.

Enjoy this flavorful Indian dahl recipe! Looking for more recipes with functional nutrition benefits? Follow me on Pinterest!

Indian Dahl

May 2, 2017

by Kasia Kines

Category Indian Indian Main Course Main Dish Member Recipes Recipes

Ingredients

• 3 cups of uncooked yellow split peas
• 9 cups of water
• 2 cups of kale or spinach, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Celtic Sea Salt
• ½ teaspoon marjoram
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. In a large covered pot, cook split peas in water for 45 minutes at medium heat, mix all other ingredients and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

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