My Favorite Dish

Fijian Dhal Soup

Here is a recipe for one of my favorite Fijian foods and a staple in my house, Dhal Soup. Dhal is a spicy, curried lentil soup and it is just phenomenal. The measurements and steps are approximate, so feel free to improvise! I enjoy mine ferociously spicy, but you can skip the chilis. Dhal soup is relatively cheap to make, thickens without any additives, and is fairly nutritious. Please comment below if you try it at home and let me know how it turned out. Kakana Vinaka!

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp Turmeric Powder
• 2 cup Yellow Split Peas, Red and/or Yellow Lentils (I typically use yellow split peas)
• 8-10 cup Water
• 2-4 tbsp Oil or Butter
• Brown Mustard Seeds  (a pinch or two)
• 1-2 Chopped Onion              
• 2-3 Cloves of Garlic
• Extra Veggies

Recipe:

1. Pour lentils or split peas into a pot with water. 
2. Add Turmeric Powder.
3. Bring to a boil, uncovered, until it thickens to an almost porridge-like texture. I keep mine about the consistency of potato soup. Once it starts to thicken, you'll need to stir fairly frequently so it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. This takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Start with 8 cups and increase to 10 as needed.
4. In a separate pan, add either the oil or butter to warm up. 
5. Add brown mustard seeds and onion to grill. Add garlic at the end in order to prevent it from burning. 
6. Add extra veggies to stir fry. You can use eggplant, pumpkin, spinach, tomatoes, potatoes, okra, and/or chilis for spice. 
7. Add the grilled mixture to the soup and then let it boil for another 5 minutes. 
8. Enjoy with roti (indian tortilla), rice, extra chilis, or bread as you desire!