Dal — the cooked lentil preparations that form the foundational protein of Indian vegetarian cooking — is simultaneously the simplest and most technically nuanced category in Indian cooking. Every region has its dal tradition; every household has its specific approach. The diversity within the single category of "lentil cooking" — from the thin rasam of Tamil Nadu to the thick dal makhani of Punjab — reflects the full range of Indian culinary philosophy.
The Indian dal system — techniques, varieties, and regional approaches.
INDIAN CULINARY TRADITION — DEEP EXTRACTION