Dal Bhat is the most delicious and traditional Nepali food for locals and trekkers in the Himalayas. Dal Bhat recipe comprises Dal or lentil, boiled rice or bhat. Dal Bhat can be complemented with side dishes like steamed vegetables, vegetable curry, pickles and curd. It should be kept in mind that there are various ways to cook Dal Bhat. Every cook uses different ingredients to prepare this dish. The procedure to prepare this dish is a little complex but quite rewarding.
Preparation time
10 minutes
Cooking time
45 minutes
Total time
55 minutes
Ingredients in Dal Bhat
Brown or green lentils, mixed lentils, and Red lentils (masoor dal).
Flavourless oils
Finely chopped onions
Crushed garlic
Minced ginger
Cumin seeds
Coriander seeds
Finely minced tomatoes
Mustard seeds
Rice
Butter or ghee
Indian chutney or pickle for taste
Pepper for taste
Finely minced tomatoes
Sea salt (Himalayan pink salt would be preferable)
Instructions
Wash the lentils and rinse them properly.
Properly cook the rice.
Heat oil in a large pan
Add chopped onions, garlic and ginger to the pan. Keep on stirring this mixture till the onion turns golden.
Grind spices (Cumin seeds, coriander seeds etc) for making a spice mix. After that, add the spice mix to the pan. It is essential to remember that spices must be carefully tempered in oil.
Add butter. Now, cook and cover for some time.
Add lentils and cook for 5 minutes.
Add water and boil as per cooking instructions for the chosen lentil.
Present your dish with rice, vegetables, pickles etc.
The best thing about Dal Bhat is that it is delicious and filling. It is also nutritious comprising carbs, protein, fluid, vitamins and minerals. Cooking Dal is not an easy process so Sherpa and Tibetan people living in the mountains have pressure cookers to accelerate the procedure.
