English Dal: What It Is, How It’s Made, and Why It’s Different from Indian Dal

When you hear English dal, a sweet, spiced fruit-and-lentil preserve from British colonial kitchens. Also known as British lentil chutney, it’s not the same as the spicy, cumin-scented Indian dal you find in homes across Delhi or Chennai. While Indian dal is about warmth, earthiness, and turmeric, English dal is about slow-cooked apples, onions, vinegar, and sugar—served with cold meats or cheese, not rice.

It’s easy to confuse the two because both use lentils, but that’s where the similarity ends. Indian dal is a daily staple, cooked with garlic, ginger, and garam masala, often finished with a sizzle of mustard seeds. English dal? It’s more like a jam. It simmers for hours until the lentils break down into a thick, sticky spread, sweetened with brown sugar and spiced with cloves and cinnamon. You won’t find chili or asafoetida in it. Instead, you’ll find dried apricots, raisins, and sometimes even a splash of port wine. This isn’t comfort food from a village kitchen—it’s pantry food from a colonial officer’s dining room.

The dal makhani you love at restaurants? That’s buttery, creamy, slow-cooked black lentils with kidney beans, simmered for hours with cream and butter. English dal doesn’t use dairy at all. It’s vegan by accident, not design. And while Indian dals are served hot, right off the stove, English dal is best at room temperature, even chilled. It’s the kind of thing you spread on toast after a Sunday roast, not the thing you ladle into a bowl with a roti.

What ties them together? Both are humble, both are cheap, and both were born out of necessity. But one evolved with spice markets and family recipes. The other evolved with empire and ration books. Today, English dal is fading from British kitchens, while Indian dal is going global—with fusion pizzas and vegan bowls. You’ll find recipes for both in our collection: one that tells you how to make dal makhani so rich it sticks to the spoon, another that shows you how to recreate that old British pantry jar, and a few that explain why some Indian vegetarians avoid honey or ghee—because even the simplest lentil dish can hide surprises.

If you’ve ever wondered why a dish called "dal" can taste so different depending on where you are, you’re not alone. The answer isn’t just in the ingredients—it’s in history, culture, and the way food moves across borders. Below, you’ll find real recipes, clear explanations, and the kind of practical tips you won’t get from a Wikipedia page. Whether you’re trying to nail the perfect dal makhani or understand why your British friend calls lentils "chutney," this collection has you covered.