How to Make Dhal Trini Style
This Trinidad dhal recipe has East Indian roots and Caribbean flare. It’s made with yellow split peas, water, turmeric, salt, garlic, cumin seeds, and oil. Onion, pepper and Caribbean green seasoning are usually added in too.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 193kcal
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup split peas
- 3 cups water
- 1.5 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 onion (diced)
- pepper to taste (like scotch bonnet, cayenne, chili, or pepper flakes)
- salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil (like coconut oil)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3 garlic cloves (sliced)
- green seasoning (optional)
Instructions
- Wash split peas thoroughly.
- Add water to pressure cooker. Place on high heat.
- Add split peas, turmeric powder, onion, salt, pepper, and seasonings to the pressure cooker. Cover and leave to boil.
- When steam flows through the cover, add the weight to pressurize the cooker.
- Lower the heat and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
- Depressurize carefully. The dhal should be almost smooth. Mix.
- Heat oil on low heat in a small pot or ladle.
- Add cumin seeds and garlic slices to the oil.
- Gently mix to ensure even cooking of the garlic.
- Add the hot oil to the dhal CAREFULLY! It is likely to splash so use a cover to prevent burns.
- Mix and serve as is or with rice and a meat or vegetarian side and a salad.
Notes
Without a pressure cooker:
- boil the split peas with turmeric, salt, onion, pepper and seasonings until the peas are completely soft.
- using a blender or immersion blender or swizzle stick, blend the dhal until it is smooth.
- chunkay the dhal, meaning add in the heated oil, cumin seeds and garlic.
