Dal bhat in Croatia: a 25-minute dal with ingredients from any supermarket (and the Croatian names to look for)

A step-by-step dal and rice you can cook with ordinary Croatian supermarket ingredients, with the Croatian name of each item.

Published 2026-10-21 · Source checked 2026-10-20

Homesick for dal bhat? You can make a proper pot of dal in about 25 minutes using things from an ordinary Croatian supermarket. No special shop needed.

Here is the shopping list, with the Croatian name to look for: red or yellow lentils (crvena leća or leća), rice (riža; basmati if you can find it), onion (luk), garlic (češnjak), fresh ginger (đumbir), tomato (rajčica), turmeric (kurkuma), ground cumin (kumin), cooking oil (ulje) or butter (maslac). Most big chains stock these; spices are sometimes on a different shelf, so check the spice aisle (začini). If a chain does not have cumin, Asian and Indian shops in Zagreb and other big cities usually do.

Also read:Life in CroatiaDalmatian dogs: named after a Croatian region, born without spots

Step 1: Rinse 1 cup of lentils in cold water until it runs clear. Put them in a pot with 3 cups of water, half a teaspoon of turmeric and a little salt (sol). Boil, then simmer for 15–20 minutes, until soft. Red lentils cook faster than other kinds, so you can skip soaking.

Step 2: Cook the rice. Use 1 cup of rice to about 2 cups of water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer on low for 12–15 minutes. Leave it covered for 5 minutes after turning off the heat.

Step 3: The tadka, the part that gives dal its smell. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil or butter in a small pan. Add half a teaspoon of cumin, then chopped onion, 2 cloves of garlic and a small piece of ginger. When golden, add one chopped tomato and cook for 3 minutes. Pour it over the dal and stir. Add a squeeze of lemon (limun) if you have one.

What to do: serve it with a simple side, such as fried cabbage or spinach (špinat), or a quick pickle of sliced radish or cucumber with salt and chilli. A pot like this makes 3–4 plates, so you can cook once and eat twice. Tell us in the comments on our Facebook page: what is the one dish you miss most, and which Croatian ingredient do you use as a stand-in?

Read next

Life in CroatiaSikarni in Croatia: a Tihar dessert you can make with 5 things from any supermarketWork & SalaryTax refund in Croatia: do you get money back? What to do before the end of February