Dal Bhat Tarkari
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Yellow lentils — 200 g (7 oz)
- Water, divided — 960 ml (32 fl oz)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 2 cloves
- Turmeric — 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds — 1 tsp
- Oil, divided — 2 tbsp
- Rice — 370 g (13 oz)
- Potatoes, cubed — 2
- Seasonal vegetables (cauliflower, green beans or spinach), chopped — 1 cup
- Curry powder — 1 tsp
- Salt — to taste
- Pickle (achar), to serve
Method
- Rinse the lentils and simmer in 3 cups of water with turmeric until soft, about 20–25 minutes.
- In a separate pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and sauté half the onion and garlic with cumin seeds until fragrant, then stir this into the cooked lentils; season with salt.
- Cook the rice according to package instructions in a rice cooker or saucepan.
- For the vegetable curry, heat the remaining oil and sauté the remaining onion until softened.
- Add the curry powder, then the potato and seasonal vegetables, along with the remaining 1 cup of water.
- Cover and simmer for 15–20 minutes until the vegetables are tender; season with salt.
- Serve the rice with the lentil soup and vegetable curry alongside, plus a spoonful of pickle.
Introduction: Lentil soup served over rice with a seasonal vegetable curry and pickle, Nepal's fundamental everyday meal eaten by nearly every household daily.
Cultural Background: Dal bhat is the backbone of Nepali eating, a nourishing combination often eaten twice a day, its exact composition varying with season and region but always built around the core trio of lentils, rice and vegetables.
Tips: Adjust the lentil soup's consistency with more or less water to personal preference — some prefer it thick, others thinner. Vary the vegetable curry with whatever is in season, as is traditional.
Variations: Add a piece of meat curry alongside for a non-vegetarian version, sometimes called dal bhat tarkari masu. Include a simple green salad on the side.
Storage: Refrigerate lentils and vegetable curry separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat both components gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed.
FAQs:
Q: How often is dal bhat eaten in Nepal?
A: Very often, sometimes twice daily, forming the backbone of the Nepali diet.
Q: Can the vegetables be varied?
A: Yes, this is expected and traditional — dal bhat is built around whatever vegetables are in season.
- Yellow lentils — 200 g (7 oz)
- Water, divided — 960 ml (32 fl oz)
- Onion, chopped — 1
- Garlic, minced — 2 cloves
- Turmeric — 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds — 1 tsp
- Oil, divided — 2 tbsp
- Rice — 370 g (13 oz)
- Potatoes, cubed — 2
- Seasonal vegetables (cauliflower, green beans or spinach), chopped — 1 cup
- Curry powder — 1 tsp
- Salt — to taste
- Pickle (achar), to serve
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