Bhāt or chāwal means "boiled rice" in a number of Indo-Aryan languages.

At higher elevations in Nepal, above 6,500 feet (2,000 m), where rice does not grow well, other grains such as maize, buckwheat, barley or millet may be substituted in a cooked preparation called dhindo or atho in Nepal.

Dal may be cooked with onion, garlic, ginger, chili, tomatoes, or tamarind, in addition to lentils or beans.

Recipes vary by season, locality, ethnic group and family.

Dal Bhat Bhujiya is a traditional dish eaten in the Bihar along with chokha.