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a close up image of dal tadka to show it's creamy texture and tadka
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Dal Tadka

Quick, cozy, and comforting with a finishing tadka that adds the most perfect flavor bomb to an otherwise simple dish, this dal tadka recipe will make you fall in love with dal.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 4 people
Author: Richa

Equipment

Ingredients

For cooking dal

  • ½ cup tur dal washed and soaked for 30 minutes
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder haldi
  • ½ teaspoon groundnut oil or any neutral cooking oil
  • 1 ½ cups water

For dal tadka

  • 2 tablespoons groundnut oil or any neutral cooking oil
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds jeera
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida hing
  • 1½ teaspoons finely chopped garlic
  • ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
  • 1 green chilli finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped (¼ cup)
  • 1 tomato finely chopped (½ cup)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin powder
  • ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • 3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves

For tempering

  • 1 ½ teaspoons ghee
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds jeera
  • 1 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
  • 3 red chillies whole
  • ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder

Instructions

  • Add soaked dal to a pressure cooker with salt, turmeric powder, oil & water. Cook on high until the 1st whistle & on low till the 2nd whistle and take off the heat. If you prefer mushy dal, cook till the 3rd whistle. Let it depressurise by itself. Mash the dal using a whisk or ladle to get a smooth texture.
    ½ cup tur dal, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 ½ cups water, 2 tablespoons groundnut oil or any neutral cooking oil
  • Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan or kadai, add cumin seeds and once they crackle, add asafoetida, garlic & saute on high for a few seconds till garlic is fragrant. Add ginger, green chilli and saute for a minute. Add onions & saute on low for 1-2 minutes till onions turn light golden. Add tomatoes & cook for 1-2 minutes till they soften. Add salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder & saute for a few seconds. Add the cooked dal, give a good mix and cook for 8-10 minutes till dal absorbs all the masalas. Take off the heat.
    ½ teaspoon groundnut oil or any neutral cooking oil, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida, 1½ teaspoons finely chopped garlic, ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 1 green chilli, 1 medium onion, 1 tomato, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon cumin powder, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • While dal is hot, heat a tempering or tadka pan with ghee. Add cumin seeds and once they crackle, add garlic & fry for 1-2 minutes on low till the garlic is light golden. Add red chillies & let them roast for a few seconds till they turn deep red but not dark. Take the pan off the heat, add red chilli powder, mix well and pour the tadka on the hot dal. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
    1 ½ teaspoons ghee, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 teaspoons finely chopped garlic, 3 red chillies, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, 3 tablespoons finely chopped coriander leaves

Video

Notes

  1. Soaking dal before cooking, helps in cooking the lentils faster & helps to get smooth creamy consistency of the dal.
  2. The tempering or tadka adds authentic flavour, so do not skip it.

Nutrition

Calories: 148kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 345mg | Potassium: 333mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 680IU | Vitamin C: 57mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg