This is the basic recipe for cooking lentils or beans. Many southern and southwestern regional recipes call for cooked lentils or beans to be stirred gently into a dish near the end of cooking. Therefore, it may be a good idea ot make them a day ahead and have them ready when you begin the actual cooking.
YIELD
4 1/2 cupsPREP
10 minCOOK
65 minREADY
75 minIngredients
(arhar dal) , or red lentils (masar dal) , or yellow split peas (supermarket variety), or yellow mung beans (moong dal) *
Directions
Pick lentils, peas, or beans clean and wash thoroughly in several changes of water.
Put the lentils, peas, or beans in a deep pot along with the along with the tumeric and 4½ cups water; bring to a boil.
Be careful, they foam a lot. Stir often to make sure they do not lump together.
Cook over medium heat, partially covered, for 40 minutes (25 minutes for red lentils and mung beans).
Cover, reduce heat, and continue cooking for an additional 20 to 25 minutes (10 minutes for red lentils and mung beans) or until soft.
Turn off heat and measure the puree. There should be 4½ cups puree; if not, add enough water to bring to that quanity.
For a more ground purée, beat lentils, peas, or beans with a whisk for 3 to 5 minutes.
Cooked dal can be kept for 3 days, refrigerated.
Cooked lentils and beans thicken considerably and become gelatinous with keeping.
They also reduce in volume considerably.
Therefore remember to make allowance for such evaporation.
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