Welcome to the exotic world of dals. This book presents an imaginative and creative range of recipes to tempt even the most reluctant partaker. Dal is a nutrient-rich and essential part of Indian meals. It is served thrice in a thali dal with rice, dal with roti and dal with vegetables. In Indian cuisine, dal and rice form staple fare and everyone has their own favourite variations The art of Indian cooking lies in the careful blending of different spices to yield subtle variations in flavours. The classic tastes of Indian food are characterised by shatarasas (7 flavours) - sweet, salty, sour, hot, pungent, bitter and astringent. Indian dal preparations are replete with them all. One of the most important characteristics of dals is their ability to blend with any spices, herbs and even non-vegetarian ingredients. They are universally inclusive. Whether one is a good cook or not really depends on one's delicate touch with spices. It is also why Indian mothers begin teaching their children to cook, with dals, as most spices and ingredients can be mixed into dals. Thus novices become well versed with different ingredients and spices and cultivate a sense of smell and colour. This book will be of great help to both teachers and learners.

This collection is a celebration of the best of the numerous varieties of dal dishes. It is my desire to introduce to you the amazing nature of dals which can be mixed and matched with any spice or herb and a pinch of imagination, basic knowledge and taste. Dal delicacies have always been the 'in' thing in every generation so I have attempted to present age-old dal preparations in new, different and unique ways. The recipes are not the usual restaurant fare. While some may be exotic, they are also easy to make, inexpensive, and a gourmet's delight.