How many whistles does it take to cook different types of Dals? | The Times of India (2024)

If you are a novice at cooking and have just begun your stint in the kitchen, this article will definitely benefit you. Dals are an integral part of Indian cuisine and are cooked almost on a daily basis. Knowing how to cook dals will make your life as easy as ever. If you too often end up making dals that are either too thick or too watery or sometimes even a bit raw, then you need to bookmark this simple ‘Dal Cooking Guide’.

Yellow Moong Dal can be cooked within minutes and is one of the easiest to cook as well. Avoid soaking Yellow Moong Dal, as it will turn mushy after cooking. The amount of water added to the dal depends on how thick or watery you want the dal to be. On average, add 3 cups of water while cooking 1 cup of dal. Keep the flame high and let one whistle come, then switch the flame to low and let one more whistle come. That’s it, your dal is now ready to be served.

As compared to other dals, Urad Dal requires more time to cook. Wash Urad Dal properly and soak for about 15-20 minutes. To one cup urad dal, add 4 cups of water. Let 2 whistles come on high flame, then switch the flame to low and let 4 more whistles come. Let the pressure release on its own, as this will cook the dal further.

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Toor Dal, also known as Arhar Dal tastes the best with a classic tadka of mustard seeds, curry leaves, dry red chillies, ginger, garlic, onions and 1 tbsp of sambhar masala. Cook 1 cup of toor dal in 3 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric and 1 chopped tomato. Cook for one whistle on high flame, now switch flame to low and let 2-3 more whistles come.

Masoor Dal is another easy dal that you can cook in a pressure cooker. Either add a tadka in the beginning or you can even add a tadka once the dal is cooked. Add 1 cup Masoor Dal to a cooker along with 3 cups of water. Cook on high flame for 2 whistles and low flame for 2 whistles. You can even mix Yellow Moong Dal and Masoor Dal in 1:1 and make a delicious combination of dals.

Soaking Chana Dal, also called split chickpeas, in lukewarm water for 40-45 minutes is a must to reduce the cooking time of Chana Dal. In a pressure cooker, add 1 cup of soaked Chana Dal along with 4 cups of water. Cook for 2 whistles on high flame and then on low flame for 4 whistles.

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Known by many names like Green Moong Dal, Sabut Moong, Green Gram and more, Whole Moong Dal is another easy-to-make dal that tastes best with chapati and sabzi on the side. To make Whole Moong Dal, firstly soak 1 cup Green Moong in lukewarm water for at least 30 minutes. To cook the dal, add lentils to a cooker along with 5 cups of water. This dal specifically requires more water to cook in order to reach the right consistency. Pressure cook on high flame for one whistle and then on low flame for about 4 whistles. You can also add an onion-tomato masala tadka once the dal is cooked.

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