by Arushi Patel
home cook and half-founder of Vela

‘Dal bhaat, dal bhaat!’ – shouts my 4 year old self, whilst running to the smell in the kitchen when Mum’s making dal and rice… I may not do this now, but there’s always a sense of excitement when the smell of dal fills the house, and this memory is very much in line with what dal means to me – it’s comfort, it’s full of love, it’s Mum.

Coming from a Gujarati background, dal shows up in many of our meals, and also, they’re used in many varied and what you might say, non-expected, ways; from snacks such as steamed dhoklas, to stuffed kachori and bhajiyas.

I’m also very lucky that Mum is a bit of a bad ass when it comes to lentils and pulses generally – because if she’s not sifting through a big thali dish of them and picking out the grits (in what has to be a meditative state with such patience…), she’s sprouting various ones, to making them all into aromatic and beautiful dishes…

And with various lentils and pulses now showing up in my kitchen and being part of my own cooking repertoire (with a dedicated cupboard of about 11 varieties), I wanted to share a recipe that is more in line with the versatile ways they can be used.

So, I’m going with dal bhajiyas, which I love as tasty snacks, either wrapped up in chapattis or alone with ketchup and chutneys! I also find them incredible simple and straightforward to make.

Read Arushi Patel’s recipe for Dal Bhajiyas… 

by Bini Ludlow

Dal is a staple ingredient in India, used as a source of protein. In the Gujarat region of India we have a very large population of vegans and vegetarians. 

Gujarati cuisine is about combining flavours, textures and creating a balanced meal using spices cleverly. Nothing should be overpowering. 

As a child my first memory of eating dal was cooking and eating moong dal. We also ate val ni dal, toor ni dal, kichdee and ondhwa.  Most non-vegetarian Gujarati families, after a weekend of feasting would calm the stomach by eating mag (mung bean curry), khadi (hot yoghurt sauce tempered with spices),  bhat (perfect basmati rice), rotlee (freshly cooked chapattis), served with a crispy popadom and spiced lime pickle. This is a vegetarian’s dream. It’s tasty, hearty and great for the digestion! 

We also enjoyed my mum’s vegetable cake, called ondhwa. It was a perfect way to eat plenty of vegetables. 

As a young cook, my mum would teach me how to wash and prepare this delicious cake. There are lots of ingredients, but don’t be put off as it’s worth the effort. Honestly.

Read Bini Ludlow’s recipe for ondhwa… 

by Kalpna Woolf

Dal – We know that dal is a staple for millions of people across the world, giving daily and often much needed all-round nourishment, but dal is also a fundamental symbol of the culture of a community (it is a cultural touchstone) and as such it is with pride and affection that dal dishes are placed at the centre of a table of food (not as a side-dish) and recipes lovingly handed down to generations. Dal is a feature at feasts, holy days, happy and sad occasions. It is my go-to ingredient when I want, taste, comfort and good, healthy food and a connection back to my heritage and it’s what I love to spend time cooking for my son and family.

This is my mum’s recipe – Chana daal is a ‘meaty’ daal with a wonderful texture which we would look forward to eating as a family. It is a traditional North Indian dish and provides vitamins, protein and iron. Importantly, this dish provides a double hit of turmeric as it is added to the daal when boiling and to the a sauce. Turmeric is a true power spice packed with antioxidants and helping to ease inflammation. Every day new research findings are showing the positive health effects of turmeric. This recipe also includes chili, ground coriander and cumin – all wonderful health-giving spices, so each mouthful will not only taste delightful but also fuel you with goodness. 

Read Kalpna Woolf’s recipe for Curcumin Loaded Chana Dal… 

For the trial Great British Bean Project they bought half a tonne of British-grown split fava beans, packed them up at the kitchen table, and distributed them through community groups and local shops. Each pack contained a postcard with a short questionnaire on the back to collect feedback on the beans.

The response to the beans was overwhelmingly positive, inspiring the foundation of Hodmedod to continue and develop supply of British-grown fava beans and other products.

Hodmedod’s first product was the Fava Bean, grown in Britain since the Iron Age but little eaten in recent centuries. Fava Beans are delicious, nutritious and good for the soil and bees. Split Fava Beans are especially versatile and easy to cook as they don’t need soaking.

Since launching the first retail packs of dried Fava Beans in 2012 Hodmedod has been working to search out and develop production of other less well-known foods, like “Black Badger” Carlin Peas and Quinoa from the plains of Essex.