Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka

Veg

Yellow split lentil with fried spice tempering — arhar or moong dal cooked until soft in water with turmeric, then hit with a searing tadka of ghee, cumin seeds, garlic, dried red chilli, and asafoetida in a small ladle held over flame and poured sizzling onto the dal. The tempering blooms the spices in seconds and perfumes the entire dal. The North Indian dhaba staple eaten at every meal — eaten with rice at lunch and roti at dinner.

Cuisines

Rajasthani Haryanvi Awadhi Punjabi Delhi

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
1/4 cup chana dal (split chickpeas)
1 cup water
1 cup water for cooking
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
2 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
2 green chilies, slit
1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped
— salt to taste

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the toor dal and chana dal thoroughly and soak them in 1 cup of water for 30 minutes.
  2. 2 Drain the soaked dals and transfer them to a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water and a pinch of turmeric powder.
  3. 3 Cook the dals in the pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles until soft and mushy.
  4. 4 In a pan, heat ghee over medium heat and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter.
  5. 5 Add asafoetida, minced garlic, and ginger. Sauté for a minute until fragrant.
  6. 6 Add the chopped onions and green chilies to the pan. Sauté until the onions turn golden brown.
  7. 7 Stir in the chopped tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and the oil separates.
  8. 8 Add the cooked dal to the pan and mix well. Adjust the consistency with water if needed.
  9. 9 Simmer the dal for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  10. 10 Add garam masala and mix well. Cook for another 2 minutes.
  11. 11 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice or roti.

Tips

For a smoky flavor, you can add a charcoal smoke infusion by placing a hot coal in a small bowl within the dal, adding a drop of ghee, and covering it for a few minutes.