Nepal
Thakali Khana
A Nepali set meal: rice in the middle, dal, chicken curry, aloo tama and pickle
90 min·4 servings
Split pigeon peas (toor dal)
Hulled and halved pigeon peas, an everyday pulse in India and Nepal. They cook down to a mild, nutty, creamy purée.
Toor dal are the hulled, split seeds of the pigeon pea, a tropical legume. Despite the similar look, they are not the same as the yellow split peas made from garden peas. They taste mild, slightly sweet and nutty, and break down during cooking into a smooth, thick purée, which is why they form the base of many dal dishes. Some stock is lightly oiled for storage and should be rinsed thoroughly before cooking. They are sold in Indian and Asian grocers, increasingly in larger supermarkets, and by mail order.
Substitute:
Red lentils give a similarly creamy texture but cook faster and taste flatter. Yellow split peas look much the same but taste earthier and take considerably longer to break down.
Used in · 1 recipe