A bowl of well-cooked dal with tadka is an intrinsic part of a quintessential Indian diet. There are so many variations of dal found in this country that it is often hard to keep a track. But we are not complaining. In addition to being a comfort food for millions, all lentils come loaded with a range of antioxidants and minerals that are beneficial for overall health and fitness. For the non-meat eaters, lentils could prove to be a great source of protein too. Protein is also referred to as the building block of life. It is crucial for building muscle and ensure healthy weight-management. How, you ask? Protein helps induce satiety. It takes a while to digest, hence it stays in your system for a longer spell. You eat in controlled amounts if your tummy is full, also your tendency to inch towards fried and fattening snacks reduces to a great extent. Thereby, promoting weight loss.
(Also Read: Indian Cooking Tips: Use Left-Over Dal And Give Your Neer Dosa A Lip-Smacking Twist)
The best part about cooking dal is that you can experiment as much as you want. You can add veggies to your dal, or wadis and dhokli. You can also combine the goodness of two-three dals in one dish. For instance this urad and chana dal recipe. It is so rich that it can be the highlight of your spread and make banal dinnertime worth remembering. Pairing it with piping hot rice would make the fare a whole lot wholesome, exciting and comforting at the same time. Some freshly cut kachumbar salad of tomatoes, cucumbers and onions on the side, some pickle and some papad are preferred accompaniments; however, you can customise it depending upon your liking.
Urad Channe Ki Dal Recipe:
Both chana dal and urad dal are brimming with health benefits. While urad dal is used to make a variety of South Indian dishes like dosa and vada, chana dal is also used to make a gamut of dishes like chana dal vada, chana dal paratha and halwa. Chana dal and luchi is a popular Bengali breakfast item you should try once.
(Also Read: If You Love Hyderabadi Biryani, Give This Hyderabadi Khatti Dal A Try)
Here's the recipe of urad and chana dalyou can cook in your leisure time. It is topped with a dollop of malai, if you are watching your calories, you can choose to skip that. The tadka is made in clarified butter or ghee, you could swap it with vegetable oil as well. However, ghee is linked with a number of health benefits.
(This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.)