Dal from Meghalaya

Posted byDalonthetablePosted inUncategorized

Meghalaya is one of the ‘Seven Sisters’ in north east India.  Its capital is Shillong.  Meghalaya means ‘Abode of clouds’.  During British raj, Shillong was known as ‘Scotland of the east.” There are many beautiful landscapes and falls beside the root bridges.  Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the many festivals they celebrate every year.

The picture shows Iewduh which   is the largest and oldest market in Shillong since the nineteenth century, if not earlier. It became known as Bara Bazar (Big Market) with the arrival of people from outside the state during colonial rule. Lewduh is under the management of the Chief of Mylliem, and the society being matrilineal, women play a vital role in trade and commerce.  It is a wholesale market with products ranging from groceries, vegetables, meat, fruits and household goods to clothes, shoes, agricultural implements, as well as electronic goods. It includes several food stalls serving local cuisine and snacks.

Meghalaya is bounded by Assam on the north and east.

Bangladesh to the south and west.

Food:

Rice is the staple food of Meghalaya.  It is served with curries, fish or meat. Meghalaya cuisine has three distinctive styles of cooking- Garo, Khasi and Jaintia.  We have chosen a traditional dal from Meghalaya called Dai Nei iong.  Dai means dal and Nei – black and iong – sesame seeds.  Black sesame seeds are used quite often in their cuisine. Medium of frying is mustard oil generally.

Dai Nei iong – Dal with black sesame seeds.

This is a delicious dal dish tempered with black sesames seeds.  The consistency of the dal should be slightly thick. We have used urad dal, but any dal can be used. The dish is normally eaten with red rice which is cultivated locally.  Why not try it out once.

You need:

100 gm urad dal

1 tsp of garlic paste

1 tsp of ginger paste

1-2 green/dried red chillies

1 medium size onion finely sliced

1 tbsp of black sesame seeds

1 tsbp of mustard oil

½ tsp turmeric powder

Salt to taste.

Method:

  1. Peel, wash and slice the onion. 

2. Peel, wash and grate the garlic finely.

3. Peel, wash and grate the ginger finely.

4. Wash and cook the dal in pressure cooker with grated garlic and ginger, ½ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of turmeric powder , ½ tsp of salt and 1 cup of water. 

5. After the first whistle lower the heat to minimum and cook for 2 minutes. 

6. Switch off the heat and allow the cooker to cool down on its own.

7. Heat a pan and roast the sesame seeds and leave it to cool down. 

8. Grind them in a grinder till the oil oozes out from the seeds.

9. Open the pressure cooker.  Check if it is cooked.  Otherwise cook it again for a minute or so.

10. Add ½ cup of warm water.  Keeping in mind that the consistency of the dal should be slightly thick

11. Heat 1 tbsp of mustard oil in a pan, when it smokes reduce the heat. 

12. Add the chilli, allow it to fry for few seconds and then add the sliced onion.

13. Stir and fry the onion till lightly browned. 

14. Add the sesame paste the fried onion.  Saute the mixture for few seconds.

15. Add little water from the cooked dal to the fried mixture and mix it well. 

16. Add the remaining the dal and stir well.  Bring the dal to boil.

17. Adjust the salt. 

18. Serve it with hot red/white rice.

Happy Cooking !

Coming up next …………… Dal from Mizoram.

10 thoughts on “Dal from Meghalaya”

  3. Lovely recipe..can’t simply imagine how a humble dal can be made so interesting and that too in so many different ways…

    Am trying your recipes one by one and they are simply awesome…

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