Comments on: Making Dhal, Trini-style

By: Chennette

Chennette — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:56:38 +0000

Hi Sandhee – as long as it’s not burned to a crisp, the garlic and geera shouldn’t ruin the dhal! (and some people may like it black…)

I cook dhal now in a pressure cooker, so that’s covered ;-D but before that I would boil it covered until/unless it was rattling too much then I’d leave the cover ajar, it helps with the boiling process. Did you try the chunkayed stuff with a bowl of the dhal?

I’d love to know how your mother in law makes the dhal though – it’s always good to learn about new things.

By: Sandhee

Sandhee — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 21:40:31 +0000

Hi Chenette! Its me again….I chunkayed the garlic and the geera but never put it in because I was scared of ruining the whole pot of dhal in case I didn’t do it properly. I have a new question…is the dhal boiled with or without a cover?

My MIL boils it with a cover, but then again, the way she makes dhal is different than the way you make it altogether—a different topic for a different day. LOL.

By: Chennette

Chennette — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:31:32 +0000

Hi Sandhee, thanks for the nice comment I hope I can help.

You can use ground geera and add it to the dhal while boiling AND just after it’s chunkayed with the garlic – in order to get the best flavour without chunkaying, I would suggest toasting the whole geera in a dry pan and then grinding fresh (as opposed to purchased ground cumin).
But your suggestion about chunkaying with the whole geera and taking it out (just before serving?) is probably better! The whole geera generally floats as black specks to the top and you can skim all or most of them off before serving. It depends how picky your husband is about the whole seeds

By: Sandhee

Sandhee — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:02:34 +0000

I am so glad I found your blog. I have been dreaming of making dhal all night even though I’m not even sure if I like it. I’ve had it twice–once my MIL made it in and I was underwhelmed and the second time was much better when her sister made it. However I can’t ask for the recipe so I have a few questions…

1. My husband doesnt like it with the whole geera in it and suggested that I grind it. Do you have any suggestions on how I can do this?

2. What would happen if I chunkayed the geera, and put it in the dhal as usual, but after a few moments (not sure how many), strained the geera back out? Do you think this could work?

Any other suggestions….my husband is from Guyana but I’m not so I have no clue!

By: Chennette

Chennette — Thu, 29 May 2008 17:01:41 +0000

Assalamu ‘alaikum Umar. Sorry the rice pudding thing seems to be happening again. By rice pudding do you mean too thick? Too lumpy? The consistency problem can usually be solved even after it’s cooked by boiling with more water, blending some more. If you have any more details, I can get my mother to visit the page again and offer her words.

By: Umar

Umar — Thu, 29 May 2008 16:22:30 +0000

I tried my best to follow your recipe for dhal (which is my second attempt at making dhal btw) and alhamdulillaah it came out much better than the first time, but still when it cools down the thing still comes out like rice porridge. Even though it taste good, and ah do everything yuh say, ah find it still doesn’t taste like when them aunties make it to eat with d roti or rice?

By: Chennette

Chennette — Mon, 12 May 2008 18:59:11 +0000

Hmm…maybe you need to boil with more water? so that it doesn’t thicken right away. If you see the water disappearing before it’s completely cooked, just add more. Even if it’s already pudding-y, you can add more water and boil it to get it loose again.

By: Umar

Umar — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:16:17 +0000

I tried to make dhal d other day and it come out like rice pudding. So how to avoid that?

By: Chennette

Chennette — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:17:31 +0000

Hello and welcome!
I have one recipe using saltfish, for Accra which is like a spicy saltfish fritter.
We use saltfish in tomatoes choka; sauteed with ground provisions; in buljol (Trini dish made with saltfish and onions and peppers and herbs etc, served with bakes); people sometimes make a kicheree rice with split peas, provisions and some saltfish.
The trick is to boil it or soak it a few times in hot water to get the extreme saltiness out, then flake or chop and use.

By: White Girl

White Girl — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:09:34 +0000

I have married an East Indian, whose father is from Trinidad and mother is from Guyana. He was born in Guyana but moved here at a young age. Anyhow, his mom has taught me some of his favorite dishes but there are always secrets she leaves out so he has to come home to get it right. Thanks for sharing about the chunkay process. Maybe I can get it right now. Do you know anything about using salted codfish?