Dahl is a delicious soup made of lentils with many benefits. It is a perfect way to feel light and refreshed after a weekend full of social eating, celebrating with friends, or for your next seasonal cleanse. You can make dahl anytime you feel imbalanced, and want to get back on track.
Dahl is the cornerstone to any Ayurvedic diet or cleanse. It is often mixed with basmati rice to make the famous dish kitchari. It is simple to make at home. Dahl is satisfying, yet light.
Dahl for Springtime Vitality
There are many benefits to incorporating dahl into your daily diet, especially in spring. In springtime, your body releases winter fats to prepare for summer. Throughout this process, your blood becomes thicker and congested. You might carry around extra water weight once March hits or just feel sluggish in general. The beans in dahl are naturally high in potassium, which can help the body naturally shed spring water weight and cleanse your blood. Beans reduce cholesterol. They are low in calories which helps you lose weight in Spring. Their lightness helps reduce blood congestion.
Dahl to Cleanse Your Bowels, Improve Your Appetite and Digestion
Beans are also fiber-rich making you feel full and satisfied so you can stave off cravings or hunger pangs between meals. Beans provide ample roughage (insoluble fiber) and soluble fiber to bulk up the stool and scrape your GI tract clean of any residues. The spices in dahl stimulate the digestive fire which is essential in the spring.
Dahl for Each Body Type
In general, Kapha people (who tend to be sluggish or overweight) do great with having a lot of dahl in their diet because they can digest beans more easily, and need to cleanse more frequently. Pitta people (who tend to be more fiery) can enjoy dahl in moderation. Vata people (who tend to be more underweight and erratic) should be careful with eating too much dahl because it is a more cleansing dish.
If you plan to mix your dahl with rice to make Kitchadi, follow these guidelines. A vata person can also use more rice and ghee and less dahl in their kitchari. On the other hand, kapha people can use more dahl and less rice and ghee. There are many ways to make beans more digestible.
Spice it up!
Spices commonly used in dahl include fresh ginger, mustard seeds, cumin, coriander, fennel, black cumin, black salt, cilantro, and ajwain. Use whatever you like and get creative with it! You might even add the famous digestive spice formula from Ayurveda called
hingvastak churna to your dahl to make it more digestible. Pitta people, due to their fiery nature, should use cooling spices like cardamom and fennel.
Types of Dahl Beans
There are literally hundreds of different recipes for dal. Every household in India has their own special dahl recipe and the possibilities are endless. So be creative! In Indian and South Asian households, dahl is served with a wheat flat bread called Roti and in South India is often served alongside a
sambar soup. Dahl can be made with mung beans, split mung beans, red or brown lentils, and even chickpeas. So, which type of bean should you use when making dahl? Here are a few guidelines when choosing your dahl bean:
- Mung Dahl Perhaps the most popular, mung beans are a tiny green bean that is often used in Ayurveda. It can be purchased split and yellow (which is easier to digest) or whole. Split yellow mung beans are particularly good for those with a weak digestive fire or in need of cleansing. Regular green mung beans are a little more difficult to digest but can be good when making savory pancakes. Mung beans, especially when split, are tridoshic and can be found at most Indian and Health food stores.
- Red Lentil Dahl Red lentils are a small, light, and easier to digest bean that can be particularly good for Vata people who struggle to digest beans. Red lentils have a warming vipak and take less time than other beans to prepare.
- Brown Lentil Dahl Brown lentils are larger than red lentils and are more difficult to digest. They are also cooling to the system, and are generally recommended for Pitta and Kapha folks
- Chick peas Dahk Chickpeas are a great option for those just getting used to dahl. Chickpeas are larger than lentils or mung beans are more filling in the stomach. Chickpeas are great for Kapha and good for Pitta, but should be consumed in moderation by Vata folks. They are more popular than lentils in the West and can thus be used when you are trying to introduce friends or loved ones to Dahl.
Our Favorite Dahl Recipes on Joyful Belly
So, do YOU dahl? If not, now is the perfect time to cook your first Ayurvedic dahl. Then, leave us a comment below about your experience with dahl or your favorite dahl recipe.
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