Bombay Style Thick Dal

[k43]

Many years ago, my parents had a woman from Bombay stay with us through the Experiment in International Living. (Her name was Vasantika Vakil.) She made a dal that was dark brown and quite thick -- the consistency of (very grainy) mashed potatoes -- fried up in a frying pan. I'm not sure it even had lentils in it, and I think it had a sort of black Indian caraway (which looked like black onion seeds), which no Indian grocer in NYC has been able to identify.

I loved it and have been very disappointed when I went to the standard Indian restaurants and had the sort of thin yellow lentil soup.

Does anyone have a recipe and the name of the secret caraway seeds?

Many thanks.

[tryska]

how did you eat it?

i thought perhaps it was uppama, but i don't know.

also are you sure the little black seeds weren't mustard seeds?

Edited November 19, 2003 by tryska (log)

[mongo_jones]

Many years ago, my parents had a woman from Bombay stay with us through the Experiment in International Living. (Her name was Vasantika Vakil.) She made a dal that was dark brown and quite thick -- the consistency of (very grainy) mashed potatoes -- fried up in a frying pan. I'm not sure it even had lentils in it, and I think it had a sort of black Indian caraway (which looked like black onion seeds), which no Indian grocer in NYC has been able to identify.

I loved it and have been very disappointed when I went to the standard Indian restaurants and had the sort of thin yellow lentil soup.

Does anyone have a recipe and the name of the secret caraway seeds?

Many thanks.

if it didn't have lentils in it it wouldn't be called a dal. kadhi maybe? is there no way for you to get in touch with ms. vakil? what did the seeds taste like?

[easyguru]

It might be urad dal.

[tryska]

or maybe ragi and rice (sangati)

[M65]

Sounds like Lachka dal from Gujarati cooking to me, which would be a mashed potato consistency, it would be toor or mung dal boiled till it mashes itself and then reduce it to mashed potato consistency. To season it would be desireable Tadka and spice. Maybe I will try and post a recipe when I have a little more time.Its a homestyle dish therefore you would not see it in restaurants. If you go to Gujrati style Thali restaurants though you may verywell find it.

[howler]

its probably katti dal - and the black caraway seeds are undoubtedly the tadka with cumin. marwaris serve katti dal with kadi and rice.

without the extra spicing, its varan to the maharstrians.

[Comfort Me]

I think the black caraway seeds are the same used in Israeli and other Middle Eastern cooking. The Eastern Europeans call them charnushka, in Israel they are Nigella. You can get them by mail at The Spice House. You can always call the owners, Patty & Tom Erd, and ask them. They are very, very helpful. Their phone number is (312) 274-0378.

If you haven't been to their site lately, GO! It's new, and beautiful, and their product is spectacular!