Maya Kaimal Indian Everyday Dal Review
Author’s note: I have nooooo affiliation with Maya Kaimal or Costco. These are my own unbiased, unsponsored opinions. Enjoy!
Tasty, but miserly. (Ridiculous, I say!)
This dal is not what I expected. But I like it.
I expected a thinner gravy, with more prominent lentil texture. This is thicccc stuff. Ridiculously thick. It’s like bean porridge.
At first, I thought the base was soft, cooked potato lumps. Almost mashed potato texture. But, no. It is pigeon peas. They are deconstructed into the curry. A fluffy, starchy, spice-soaked character. Technically, there’s a hearty combination of yellow lentils, red lentils, AND the pigeon peas here. No potatoes.
(But if you looove potatoes, check out my review of this Madras Potato Curry, also from Maya Kaimal.)
Speaking of spices, Maya Kaimal continues to impress me with the depth of flavor in their curries. Everything in this dal is “married” really well, and the spices have penetrated into the center of every bean-bit. I didn’t need any extra salt, even though this meal is not particularly high in sodium. (More about the Nutrition Facts later.)
There are jalapenos and cayenne and ginger for spiciness. And while this Everyday Dal has a very slight heat, it’s mainly the rich flavors I experience. Fantastic flavor. Ridiculously flavorful. It has the bright pop of cumin, and the smoothness of coriander. There are small (surprisingly fresh-looking) fragments of tomato.
(If you need a spicier curry, check out my review of MTR Minute Meals.)
I ate my dal over basmati rice with a garnish of fresh greens. I did add a little coconut oil to mine, just for some extra satisfaction and flavor.
Speaking of satisfaction, if you follow the label, this is a miserly little meal. There are supposed to be TWO servings per pouch of 130 calories each. I don’t know what universe y’all live in, but in my universe, 130 calories is a teeny snack. Very low in protein, too. I ate the entire pouch. Which was still not a ton of protein (11 grams). Fortunately, you get a boatload of fiber. And a lot of iron? Where’s Popeye?
Ingredients in Maya Kaimal Everyday Dal
Here are the ingredients from the label:
- Water
- Tomatoes in Juice (Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid)
- Moong Dal (Water, Yellow Lentils)
- Toor Dal (Water, Pigeon Peas)
- Masoor Dal (Water, Red Lentils)
- Onions
- Sunflower Oil
- Rice Starch
- Garlic, Ginger, Sea Salt, Green Jalapeno, Cumin Seed, Coriander, Paprika, Dried Cilantro, Cayenne, Turmeric.
More information from the label:
- Vegan
- BPA Free
- USDA Organic/ Certified Organic by Oregon Tilth
- Kosher
Nutrition Facts
A serving is allegedly 1/2 cup and contains a ridiculous 130 calories. Ridiculous, I say! You get 4.5 grams fat (0 grams saturated fat) and 5 weaselly grams of protein. My brain needs protein! Tsk. You get 17 grams total carbohydrates, of which 4 grams are fiber and 1 gram is sugar (0 grams “added sugars”). There’s 17% your daily value sodium, and 0% your daily value cholesterol per serving. And you get 10% your daily value of iron and 6% your daily value potassium per serving.
Price and Servings
I bought a 6-pack of these 10 ounce pouches on sale at Costco for $9.99. But the regular price is $13.99. If you truly got 2 servings per pouch, each serving would cost $1.17 at the regular price.
Shelf Life
The “best if used by” date on my package allowed approximately 16 months to consume. Once opened, the label says to consume within 7 days.
Cooking Instructions
The label offers two ways to heat this dal:
- Microwave: Tear 1-inch slit in pouch. Microwave 90 seconds on HIGH. Let stand 1 minute.
- Stove Top: Heat in small pan 3-5 minutes while stirring over low heat.
I used an 8-inch ceramic skillet on my stove top. Worked great.
The package suggests eating this over rice/grain bowl, or topping with yogurt, OR thinning to soup-like consistency.
Dramatic Conclusion
This is not a lot of food, y’all. But it’s very tasty food. I loved the mashed, starchy textures soaked in rich flavors. If you’re a mild curry-lover, it would be hard to go wrong with this dal.
The Awesome-o-Meter rates Maya Kaimal’s Everyday Dal a “Yasss.”
The End.
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