The Beginner’s Guide to Making Guyanese-Style Dhal (Lentil)

If you are Guyanese or even from the Caribbean, you must have tried Dhal at least once. This simple soup made by simmering splits peas is truly a delicious part of our local cuisine. But what is Dhal really? Dhal refers to the lentil or split peas which are used to prepare a soup, as well as the soup itself. There are several variations of the word Dhal including dahl and dal but the soup is also called toor or toovar daal. Dhal is derived from the Sanskrit word dāl, which means “to split”, referring to the halved peas. Originating in the Indian subcontinent, Dhal has become a staple dish in the diet of many persons in Guyana, and most of the Caribbean countries, regardless of ethnicity. Dhal is a relatively simple dish to make.  Whether you’re beginner, who is now learning to prepare this lentil soup or an expert, the article will provide new insight about the Guyanese method of preparing Dhal. Read on to learn two different ways of preparing this nutritious, delightful soup.

Dhal – Photo By Qfamily – https://www.flickr.com/photos/dasqfamily/2213950065/sizes/l/, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4872630

What is Dhal?

Dhal or Dal is a stew or soup made of the split peas lentils and seasoned with garlic, onions and pepper. Split peas are boiled and left to reduce to a simmering liquid, thick or thin depending on your taste. After this, the Dhal is “chunkay”, meaning sauteed garlic and geera is added to the dish. This adds somewhat of a smokey flavour to the food which makes Dhal unique. This food is versatile and can be served with sada roti, paratha roti, and rice. This delectable soup goes well with veggies, all types of “bunjhal” meat and curries including chicken, duck and goat. There are two ways to prepare this dish, steaming it in a pressure pot or boiling and reducing the lentils in a big ole pot, which is the traditional style of preparing Dhal. Another way is sauteeing the split peas before leaving it to stew and simmer until golden. See two of our recipes below!

Interesting Tip

• Dhal is similar to the Mexican posole (or pozole) because it is an ingredient as well as a dish.

Dhal served with rice and vegetables.

Guyanese Style Bunjhal Dhal

Ingredients:

Method:

1. Wash split peas. It is optional to leave to soak for about half an hour before preparing your Dhal.
2. Grind onion, garlic, ginger and pepper into a paste.
3. Heat oil and saute paste.
4. Add split peas and fry for five (5) minutes.
5. In a large pot, add two (2) cups of water.
6. Cook until split peas has melted.
7. If the Dhal (split peas) is still whole, swizzle with a dhal ghutney or swizzle stick.

Guyanese Style Bunjhal Dhal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dhal yellow (split peas)
• 2-3 cups water
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 5-6 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1 tbs curry powder or turmeric
• 1 tbs geera
• 1 tbs ginger
• 2-3 pepper, wiri wiri
• salt to taste
• oil

Method:

1. Wash split peas.
2. Heat water in a large pot, then add split peas.
3. Stir in garlic, pepper, geera and curry powder. If you don’t have curry powder at hand, turmeric makes a great substitute.
4. Allow to cook for about forty-five (45) minutes or until the split peas are melted.
5. After this, heat a little bit of oil to sautee garlic and geera.
6. We then heat the oil in a spoon, add garlic and geera and saute them. It may be easier for you to use a tiny skillet to avoid any accidents.
7. After sauteeing the garlic and geera, add them to the Dhal and you’re done!

Interesting Tip

• It is optional to leave to soak for about half an hour before preparing your Dhal.
• The curry powder or dhal adds a lovely yellow colour to the Dhal.
• You can determine the spiciness of your dhal with the number of peppers you add.
• You can also use a pressure pot to cook the Dhal.

5 Health Benefits of Dhal

1.  Protein-Rich – Dhal (split peas) contain a lot of protein, when combined with cereal can make a fantastic vegetarian diet.
2. Contains Fibre – Dhal contains a lot of fibre which prevents unnecessary eating between meals and help in weight loss. As a good source of fibre, Dhal may also help to prevent constipation.
3. Good for Pregnant Women – Folic acid in Dhal helps in the development of the fetus and may help to prevent birth defects.
4. Rich in Phosphorous – Phosphorous found in Dhal is aids in the formation of bones and teeth.
5. Contains Magnesium – This food is rich in magnesium, a nutrient which helps to build the immunity of your immune system.

Dhal in Guyana

Dhal is one of the most basic staples in our Guyanese cuisine. It is traditional and almost a rule for dhal to be served with “seven curry” at Hindu weddings countrywide. Apart from this, Dhal served alone or alongside vegetables and meats make up the local diet. Dhal is a simple yet tasty dish served for breakfast, lunch or even dinner! In addition, this nutritional dish is packed with protein which makes it a great addition to the vegetarian diet. If you plan to attempt making this food, feel free to use one of ours above, and remember to experiment with the spice level.

Article References

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dal
• https://www.cookinglight.com/cooking-101/what-is-dal
• https://www.tarladalal.com/article-toor-dal-benefits-296