Tangy, cream, buttery – which state does dal best?

Macher matha diye moong dal is definitely an oddball, but considering the Bengali community’s deep love for all things fish, it shouldn’t come as that big a surprise that there’s a fish head in the dal.

It’s hard to succinctly put into words what makes dal so great. On homesick rainy days, a piping hot bowl of dal gives you comfort like a bear hug from your mother. Urad, masoor, toor, moong – with just the right tadka you can gobble it up without the need of any accompaniments. 

There’s nothing this mellow yellow can’t do. Well, other than let us reach a consensus of who does it best. The sheer variety of ingredient preparations and spice combinations that exist in each state give a never-ending supply of fodder for the “my ghar ka dal is better than yours” debate. 

Punjabi dal makhani’s creamy richness, the simplicity of the Parsi creation that still packs a flavourful punch and the tangy goodness of Hyderabadi khatti dal.  We know it’s not an easy choice with so many stellar options.

We brought in some experts to help us out. Chef Shipra Khanna and stand-up comedian Supriya Joshi deep-dive into bowl after bowl. Khanna brings her expertise, as the winner of MasterChef India (season 2) and author of books like Sinfully Yours and The Spice Route, and Joshi, also known by her online moniker Supaarwoman, gets her quintessential humour and relatable real-life experiences to the table for the ultimate food fight.