Indian sweets have a great flavour profile, and lentils shine in this regard with their amazing versatility. Lentils, or "dals" in Hindi, are used not only in savoury dishes but also play an amazing role in most of the Indian sweets. It's just incredible how Indian cuisine uses simple ingredients. For one thing, lentils move with ease from being used in savoury curries to finding themselves a place in delicious sweet dishes. It is an epitome of creativity and versatility in Indian cooking. Today, we're going to celebrate that creativity that renders lentils into mouthwatering desserts by tracing their artistic journey in Indian cuisine.
Indian Lentils: Versatility Defined
The Indian way of cooking has acquired worldwide popularity for its outstanding skill in bringing very ordinary ingredients into haute cuisine.
Lentils are a staple food in India and show a huge amount of flexibility. Although lentils are more associated with savoury dishes, their ingenious incorporation into sweets only goes to prove the range and diversity that Indian cuisine holds within itself. High in protein and faintly nutty, the lentils give newness to the sweets—what one gets is a combination of textures and flavours, which tingle the taste buds.
Various Dals Used
In Indian sweets, lentils of all varieties play the starring role. There are many varieties of lentil and pulse dishes, be it chana dal, moong dal, urad dal, or masoor dal.
The wide range of sweets that exists in Indian cuisine gets further diversified by the unique texture and flavour that every dal imparts to the dish. The addition of lentils surely takes one to a different level when it comes to desserts—from urad dal with its earthy overtones to chana dal for that creamy flavour.
6 Desserts From Different Dals and How to Use
Chana Dal Halwa
This nutty flavour of split chickpeas is heightened into a ghee-laden dessert in the North Indian delicacy of Chana Dal Halwa. A flavourful and satiating katoriful is prepared when chana dal, sugar, and aromatic spices are simmered very slowly until they cook totally.
Moong Dal Ladoo
This Moong Dal Ladoo corroborates subtle sweetness with skinned mung beans. Making roasted moong dal more pleasurable by first grinding it to a fine powder and then mixing it with jaggery or sugar, this sweet dish simply melts in the mouth and leaves a delicate hint of nuttiness.
Urad Dal Pinni
Urad dal pinni is a wholesome dessert. It combines the benefits of black gram, wheat flour, ghee, and jaggery in one sweet, very filling treat. The urad dal has a nice nutty flavour that balances well with the richness of the ghee, and it gets quite thick and very satisfying as far as a sweet treat is concerned.
Masoor Dal Payasam
Masoor dal payasam is a South Indian dessert preparation that brings forth all the excellence of red lentils. This payasam, simmered in coconut milk and sweetened with jaggery, is just an absolutely marvellous flavour combination. The earthy flavour of masoor dal pairs up well with jaggery sweetness.
Moong Dal Halwa
An extremely popular dessert from Rajasthan, moong dal halwa showcases the nutty and earthy flavour of split mung beans. A golden-hued, fragrant halwa prepared by slow-cooking moong dal with ghee, sugar, and milk comes forth to rejoice as a celebration of simplicity and indulgence in one.
Cholar Dal Pithe
Cholar dal pithe is a Bengali specialty bringing out the sweeter side of this chana dal. Stuffing rice flour dumplings with chana dal, coconut, and jaggery is mouthwatering. Steamed or fried, the dumplings make for a great sweet snack.
Tips to Use Dals in Making Desserts
Soak them for a better, softer texture while using them in sweets with lentils. Notably, this is very essential in the case of dals, more so recipes made of urad dal and chana dal.
Their mild nuttiness goes well with sweet treats. Make adjustments to the sugar and other sweetener levels that will create a good balance in flavour.
Mix and match different dals to suit your taste buds for that special flavour profile. Combine chana dal with moong dal, and the contrasting texture and flavour make this a treat.
The roasting of the lentils develops a more nutty flavour in them. Be careful not to roast for too long, or the strong aftertaste can be overpowering.
The unique flavours of each dal go into sweets. Therefore, to use the right dal for a sweet dish, one needs to know what its unique flavor and texture are.
Different dals, when used judiciously, add depth, texture, and a new dimension to sweets, making them an integral part of India's rich repertoire of food.