Tribal People Try Dal & Lentils

Every time the tribe has tasted dal & lentils: 5 videos of first impressions from villagers in rural Punjab, Pakistan, usually Pakistani food they have never seen before.

Also covers: daal, dhal, lentils, lentil, chana, chickpeas, chickpea, hummus, falafel, rajma, channa

What it is

Dal is lentils, split peas or beans simmered with turmeric and finished with a tarka of ghee, garlic, cumin and chilli. It is the daily protein for hundreds of millions of people and it is cheap, quick and very good.

What to watch for

Nothing about dal surprises the tribe; these videos are usually about foreigners meeting it, or about lentil dishes from other countries — Ethiopian misir wot, Italian lentil soup — being compared to home.

The village comparison

Dal-roti is the meal that defines home. Masoor, moong, chana, maash — every day has a dal, and every family has a tarka they think is correct.

If you cook it: The tarka goes in at the very end, sizzling, and the pot is covered immediately.

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