Kitchen Recipe Collection
Indian Dal Tadka
The ultimate Indian comfort food—creamy yellow lentils tempered twice with garlic, cumin, and dried red chilies in smoking hot ghee.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- easy
- Cuisine
- indian
Ingredients
Scaled for 4 servings
- toor dal (split pigeon peas)
- masoor dal (red lentils)
- onions
- tomatoes
- garlic (lots of it)
- ginger
- cumin seeds
- dry red chilies
- turmeric
- ghee
- fresh coriander
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Small tempering pan (Tadka pan)
Instructions
- 1
Wash and Mix Lentils
Wash a mixture of Toor Dal (for creaminess) and Masoor Dal (which breaks down easily) until the water runs clear.
- 2
Boil the Dal
Pressure cook the lentils with turmeric, a pinch of salt, and a dash of oil until completely mushy.
- 3
Whisk the Dal
Open the cooker and whisk the dal vigorously with a spoon to make it smooth and creamy. Adjust thickness with hot water.
- 4
First Tempering Base
In a heavy pot, heat a tablespoon of ghee or oil. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- 5
Sauté Aromatics
Add finely chopped onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until the onions are golden brown.
- 6
Cook Tomatoes
Add finely chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy.
- 7
Combine and Simmer
Pour the boiled, creamy dal into this onion-tomato base. Stir well and let it simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes.
- 8
Prepare Second Tadka (The Magic)
This is crucial. In a small, long-handled tadka pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of pure ghee until smoking.
- 9
Garlic and Cumin
Turn the heat to low. Add a large teaspoon of cumin seeds and plenty of finely chopped garlic.
- 10
Add Chilies
Wait until the garlic turns golden brown and crispy (do not burn it). Add 2-3 whole dried red chilies and a pinch of hing (asafoetida).
- 11
The Sizzle
Turn off the heat. Add half a teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder for a bright red color. Immediately pour this sizzling tadka over the simmering dal.
- 12
Garnish and Serve
Cover the pot immediately to trap the smoky aroma. Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot with Jeera Rice or Tandoori Roti.
Cooking Tips
- The 'double tadka' technique is the secret to getting that authentic Dhaba (highway restaurant) flavor.
- Adding a small piece of burning charcoal to a steel bowl inside the pot and pouring ghee over it (Dhungar method) gives it a spectacular smoky flavor.
Variations
- Dal Fry: Skips the second dramatic ghee tadka on top and simply fries the boiled dal in the onion-tomato base.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- The most frequently cooked dish across all of India, served in every home and every restaurant.
Nutrition Estimate
280 calories · 14g protein · 32g carbs · 12g fat · 10g fiber per serving
