mainNepalese

Dal Bhat

Name: Dal Bhat
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Nepalese
Ingredients: 250 g Yellow lentils; 400 g Rice; 1 tsp Turmeric; 3 tbsp Ghee; 1 tsp Ajwain seeds; 1 tsp Cumin seeds; 2 pieces Dried chillies; 4 cloves Garlic; 500 g Potato and cauliflower; 1 piece Onion; 200 g Spinach or mustard greens; To taste Salt

Dal Bhat is a classic Nepalese main that holds a distinguished place in traditional cooking. Celebrated for its wholesome ingredients and time-honored preparation, this dish brings authentic regional character to the home kitchen.

Carefully prepared featuring Yellow lentils, Rice, Turmeric, Ghee, Ajwain seeds, Cumin seeds, Dried chillies, Garlic, Potato and cauliflower, Onion and Spinach or mustard greens, the ingredients are simmered and seasoned to achieve a satisfying depth of flavor. The cooking process allows natural aromas to develop, ensuring each portion is both hearty and flavorful.

Serve hot alongside fresh bread, steamed grains, or a crisp seasonal salad for a well-rounded dining experience.

If you enjoy authentic Nepalese cooking, be sure to also explore our recipe for Sel Roti.

Difficulty: easyPrep: 20 minCook: 45 minServes 4

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Ingredients

Yellow lentils250 g
Rice400 g
Turmeric1 tsp
Ghee3 tbsp
Ajwain seeds1 tsp
Cumin seeds1 tsp
Dried chillies2 pieces
Garlic4 cloves
Potato and cauliflower500 g
Onion1 piece
Spinach or mustard greens200 g
SaltTo taste

Step-by-Step Instructions

6 steps

Interactive Cook Mode: Click any step or circle to check it off as you cook.

Step 1♨️ Boil

Rinse the lentils and boil them in a litre of water with the turmeric for thirty minutes, until they collapse completely. Skim for the first five minutes.

Step 2🍳 Fry

Start the rice. While it cooks, fry the onion, add the potato and cauliflower with a little turmeric and water, and cook fifteen minutes: that is the tarkari.

Step 3🍳 Fry

Fry the greens with garlic over a high flame for two minutes; they should stay bright.

Step 4

For the jhaneko, heat the ghee and throw in the ajwain, cumin, dried chilli and garlic, frying twenty seconds to the smell.

Step 5🥄 Mix

Pour the sizzling spiced fat straight into the dal — it hisses. Stir, season and serve at once.

Step 6

Build the plate: rice in the middle, dal in a small bowl, tarkari and greens around it, achar at the edge.

👨‍🍳 Chef's Culinary Notes

Cultural Heritage

Dal Bhat carries a rich culinary tradition rooted in regional home cooking. Developed over generations, the recipe highlights wholesome local ingredients prepared with time-honored kitchen techniques.

Dietary Substitutions

If you need to accommodate dietary restrictions, yellow lentils can be substituted with an equivalent volume of seasonal vegetables, legumes, or a protein alternative of your preference.

Chef Technique Tips

Season in stages rather than all at once at the end. Salting components as they cook draws out excess moisture, intensifies natural sugars, and builds harmonious depth of flavor throughout the dish.

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