Dal may be the core of most Indian meals but would you give lentil curry a try? If you think there are no differences between the two, you'd be surprised. While the Indian dal is cooked more like a stew or a soup, a lentil curry is heartier; it uses more ingredients, has room for more proteins and can also be more filling.
While the dal is mainly used as an accompaniment or as part of a course, the lentil curry can be a whole course in itself or even a meal. A lentil curry is obviously more reduced, unlike a dal which is typically soupy especially if it's meant to be paired with rice. But what are the key differences between the two? Let's find out:
Lentil Curry Uses Vegetable Stock
Much like any curry, lentil curry can vary in taste and recipe. The cooking process may involve simmering lentils with spices, tomatoes, and other ingredients to create a thick, flavorful sauce. Lentil curries usually use vegetable stock as a base to allow all of the ingredients to simmer with the stock so they can soak up all of the flavours.
Lentils absorb a significant amount of liquid as they cook. Using vegetable stock makes sure that the lentil curry is more flavourful. Moreover, a veggie stock can contribute additional nutrients to the lentil curry, as it is often made with a variety of vegetables. The Indian dal, however, does not need a veggie stock since the lentils are cooked in a pressure cooker and are then spiced and simmered to make a soup.
Not Every Lentil Dish Is A Dal
Lentils only become dal when they're cooked a certain way; however, any lentil-based dish can be referred to as a curry if it has been cooked like one. Dal is typically made by cooking lentils, usually split or whole, until they are soft and then seasoning them with a variety of spices, herbs, and seasonings. The spices and seasonings used in dal can differ based on regional preferences.
Lentil curry, on the other hand, is a more general term and does not adhere to a specific technique. Moreover, the dal's consistency is usually determined depending on how it will be paired. Dals that are meant to be paired with roti, paratha or bread are usually less soupy and more scoopable, while it's thinner in consistency if it's meant to be paired with rice in a Bengali or Maharashtrian thali.