Make Delicious Dishes From Leftover Dal

Discover 8 Creative Ways to Use Leftover Dal! From Dal Paratha to Dal Cheela, transform your dal into delicious meals. Read more for exciting ideas!

In every Indian household, dal is a staple. We make it

almost every day, with different lentils and tempering styles. But sometimes, we end up with extra dal. Instead of throwing it away, which is a sin in our culture, let’s explore some fun and delicious ways to use it up!

Let's embrace the "waste not, want not" philosophy and give our leftover dal a delicious makeover. Get ready to transform that simple dal into exciting new vegetarian dishes that will tantalize your taste buds and impress your family.

From crispy snacks to flavorful parathas, the possibilities are endless! So, ditch the food waste guilt and get ready to unleash your inner chef with these creative dal reuse ideas. You'll be surprised at how versatile this humble lentil dish can be.

Dal Paratha – A Wholesome Breakfast/Lunch Treat:

Dal paratha is a classic way to use leftover dal. It’s simple, healthy, and a great way to start your day or pack for lunch. All you need is some wheat flour (atta), leftover dal, and a few basic spices.

Mix the dal into the atta, adding spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and a pinch of garam masala. Knead it into a soft dough, adding water if needed. Let the dough rest for about 15-20 minutes.

Then, roll out the dough into parathas and cook them on a hot tava with a little ghee or oil until golden brown on both sides. Serve these parathas with a dollop of yogurt or pickle for a complete and satisfying meal.

You can also add finely chopped onions, green chilies, and coriander leaves to the dough for extra flavor. This is a family favorite, ensuring that no deliciousness goes to waste. It transforms a simple leftover into a exciting dish that everyone enjoys and creates a fulfilling meal.

Dal Cutlets – Crispy and Delicious Snacks:

Transforming dal into cutlets is a wonderful way to create a tasty snack or appetizer. This approach gives a crispy outside layer, and a soft inside texture through a simple process. To prepare, you'll need some leftover dal, boiled and mashed potatoes, breadcrumbs, and your favorite spices.

Mix the dal with the mashed potatoes, adding spices like ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, coriander powder, and garam masala. Form the mixture into small cutlets and coat them with breadcrumbs.

You can either shallow fry them in a pan until golden brown and crispy, or bake them in the oven for a healthier option. Serve these dal cutlets with mint chutney or tomato ketchup for a delightful snack.

You can also add finely chopped vegetables like carrots, peas, and beans to the mixture for added nutrition and flavor. The combination of spices with the crispy exterior always make for interesting eating.

Dal Soup – A Warm and Comforting Meal:

Leftover dal can be easily transformed into a nourishing and flavorful soup. This is a simple and quick way to use up dal, especially during colder months. Add some vegetable broth or water to the leftover dal to adjust the consistency to your liking.

You can also add chopped vegetables like tomatoes, onions, carrots, and celery for added nutrition and flavor. Simmer the mixture for a few minutes until the vegetables are tender. Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot.

For an extra layer of flavor, you can add a tempering (tadka) of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves to the soup. Dal soup is a healthy and comforting meal that is perfect for a light lunch or dinner.

If you like you can also puree the mixture for a smoother consistency, which adds to its appeal.

Dal Pulao – A Flavorful Rice Dish:

Upgrade your regular rice dish with the goodness of leftover dal by making dal pulao. This is a quick and easy way to create a flavorful and nutritious meal. In a pressure cooker or a pot, heat some oil or ghee. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).

Sauté for a few seconds until the seeds splutter. Add chopped onions, green chilies, and ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the onions turn golden brown. Add the leftover dal and cook for a minute. Add washed rice and water according to the rice package instructions.

Season with salt and garam masala. Pressure cook for 2 whistles or cook in a pot until the rice is cooked through. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with raita or pickle. Dal pulao is a complete and satisfying meal that is perfect for lunch or dinner.

Dal Cheela – A Savory Pancake:

Dal cheela is a popular and healthy breakfast or snack option. It's like a savory pancake made with dal. To make dal cheela using leftover dal, simply grind the dal into a smooth paste using a mixer or blender.

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Add some chopped onions, green chilies, coriander leaves, and spices like turmeric powder, red chili powder, and cumin powder to the dal paste. Mix well. Heat a non-stick pan or tava and grease it with a little oil. Pour a ladleful of the dal batter onto the pan and spread it into a thin circle.

Cook on both sides until golden brown and crispy. Serve the dal cheela hot with chutney or sauce. You can also add grated vegetables like carrots, cabbage, or spinach to the batter for added nutrition. This is a healthy and fulfilling choice for any time of the day.

Dal Samosa Filling – A Unique Twist:

Give your samosas a healthy twist by using leftover dal as the filling! This is a great way to add protein and flavor to your favorite snack.

Mash the dal slightly and mix it with some boiled and mashed potatoes, peas, chopped green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, and spices like coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala. Use this mixture as the filling for your samosas instead of the traditional potato filling.

Follow your regular samosa-making process. Either deep fry the samosas until golden brown and crispy or bake them in the oven for a healthier option. Serve your dal samosas with mint chutney or tamarind chutney. The dal filling adds a unique flavor and nutritional boost to the classic samosa.

It's a tasty way to enjoy a familiar snack with a creative twist with the familiar snack.

Dal Bati – Rajasthani Delicacy with a Twist:

Dal Bati is a popular Rajasthani dish where “Bati” are baked wheat flour balls dipped in ghee and served with Panchmel Dal. Leftover dal, especially Panchmel dal, can be used as it is with the addition of a few spices and a tempering of ghee, cumin and dry red chillies.

This saves time when making this dish and also gives additional thickness and flavour to the Dal component of the dish. Serve the Bati-Dal with churma for a satisfying meal.

Dal Dip with Crackers/Veggies:

Transform your left-over dal into a tasty and nutritious dip. All one needs to do is blend the dal with a little water and add some spice like onion and pepper to improve their taste. One can use a blender or a food processor to get the required texture.