Grandmother Azra Syed’s Simmered Lentils & Rice Recipe

Lentils and rice are a beloved meal in Pakistan, and when Mrs. Azra Syed spruces up her daal with tangy tamarind, it elevates this simple meal to new heights.

Slowly simmered red lentils topped with fresh mint. (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Daal Chawal

The ultimate Pakistani comfort food, Daal chawal or lentils and rice, is a firm favorite with people of all ages and backgrounds, that provides a nutritious and satisfying portion of protein and carbohydrate in every bite.  

Cut vegetables (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Ingredients:
Khatti Dal:
1 cup split red lentils (masoor ki dal)
½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp garlic puree
1 tsp ginger puree
1 tsp salt
2 green chillies
Handful of curry leaves
2 tbsp fresh cilantro
1 tbsp tamarind, soaked in half cup water, squeezed.
For baghar (tempering)
6 whole red chillies
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
A few sprigs of curry leaves
¼ cup of oil

Chawal:
2 cups Basmati Rice
4 cups Water
1 onion (sliced)
1/4 cup oil (or less)
2 Bay leaves
3 Cinnamon sticks
5 Black Peppercorns
1 tsp garlic puree
1 tsp ginger puree
1 tsp whole cumin seeds

Cooking lentils (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

After soaking the lentils for 30 minutes, wash thoroughly and cook till soft.

Putting red chilli powder (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Chilli powder,

Adding tumeric (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

and turmeric powder

Cooking lentils (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

are then added to the washed lentils with enough water,

Cooking lentils (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

to cook.

Heating lentils (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Cooked lentil (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

As the lentils soften, their color changes from orange to yellow.

Heating lentils (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Fresh coriander (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Half of the freshly chopped cilantro is added,

Cooked lentil (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

to the almost cooked lentils.

Adding tamarind liquid (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

The sieved tamarind liquid is then poured in

Cooking lentils (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

and stirred till thoroughly mixed.

Pouring oil (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Tempering oil is heated in a small karahi,

Curry leaves (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

to which a sprig of curry leaves,

Spices and herbs stewing (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

cumin seeds, and button red chillies are added,

Fried onion (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

along with fried onions.

Adding fried onions (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

The mixture once cooked is added to the saucepan

Cooked lentils with spices (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Red lentils, slow cooked and seasoned with hot oil, cumin and red chillies (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

and is ready to serve.

Soaked rice (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Basmati rice is washed and soaked for twenty minutes,

Sieved rice (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

then drained.

Pouring oil (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Oil is heated in a wide pan

Cooking onions (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

to which sliced onions

Garam masala (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

and whole spices (garam masala)

Stewing spices (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

including bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds, black peppercorns garlic and ginger purees are added.

Cooking rice (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Once the raw smell of the spices has disappeared, the drained rice is added to the mixture and stirred briefly.

Cooking rice (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Water, in proportion to the rice, is added to the pot with salt.

Cooked rice (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

The rice should be left to cook for a further 10 minutes till all the liquid has been absorbed.

A one dish meal, dal and chawal (lentils and rice) is a comforting everyday dish (2020)SOCH Outreach Foundation

Credits: Story

Produced by SOC Films
Project Director: Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy
Producers: Syed Ayub , Sameer Khan
Project Manager: Huma Shah
Director of Photography: Murtaza Ali
Photography: Karim Baig , Murtaza Ali
Photography Editor: Karim Baig
Additional Video & Photography: Khurram Victor
Exhibits Writer: Nazia Latif , Sameer Khan
Exhibits : Syed Ayub , Sameer Khan
Art Direction : Rahat Niazi
Associate Producer : Asad Pabani
Video Editors: Nina Zehri, Farhad Jamali
Color Grade: Sourath Behan
Assistant Editor: Mishal Adhami
Sound Design: Sameer Khan

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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