Dal - also spelled dhal or daal - is both the word for this intensely comforting South Asian lentil dish, and for the split peas or lentils used to make it. Dal can be rich, made with heaps of ghee, or restrained, the lentils or beans simmered with spices and not much else. The softened lentils are often topped with a tadka (also known by a dozen other names, including tempering and chaunk) made by frying off spices and aromatics in hot oil. The fragrant oil is then poured over the whole dish, infusing the dal with an extra layer of fragrance and richness.

It’s an essential part of every home and every meal across India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and pretty much the whole of the Indian subcontinent. It’s typically eaten with either rice or chapatis, and served alongside yoghurt and other side dishes. Although most British supermarkets will only offer two different types of lentils, green and red, in South Asia there is a huge variety of different lentils and pulses that dal can be made from. Pigeon peas, chana dal, masoor dal, mung dal and urad dal are all popular types. European lentil varieties such as Puy lentils and Castellucian lentils can also be used to make Indian dal, but you may have to adapt the recipe’s cooking times and the amounts of liquid you add to the dish.

If you’re looking for a creamy dal recipe give Alfred Prasad’s dal makhani a go, made with plenty of butter and cream. For a vegan version of the same dish try Sameer Tenja's vegan black dal. Sameer Taneja uses coconut cream to give the dish richness without any dairy. Dina Begum’s Bangladeshi mung dal uses toasted, split mung beans and is a delicious weekend brunch dish when paired with flaky paratha. Check out our full range of recipes for dal below.