Dal Tadka Recipe: Easy Restaurant-Style Method at Home

By Hotel Prince, ShahadaUpdated 4 November 20262 min read

Dal tadka is the everyday comfort dish: yellow lentils cooked soft and finished with a sizzling tempering of ghee, garlic, cumin and red chilli.

• Prep10 min
• Cook25 min
• Serves4
• TypeVeg

Ingredients

• 1 cup toor dal (or half toor, half moong)
• 1 tomato, 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp turmeric, salt
• For the tadka: 2 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin, 4 garlic cloves chopped
• 2 dry red chillies, a pinch of hing
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• Fresh coriander and lemon juice

Method

1. Wash the dal and pressure cook with 3 cups water, turmeric and salt for 4 to 5 whistles.
2. Mash lightly. Add the tomato and onion and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin and let it crackle.
4. Add garlic, red chillies and hing. Fry until the garlic turns golden.
5. Add chilli powder and pour the tadka over the dal immediately.
6. Finish with lemon juice and coriander. Serve with rice or roti.

Tips for the best result

• Do not burn the garlic or the dal turns bitter.
• Soak the dal for 30 minutes to cook faster.
• Add a spoon of ghee on top before serving.

Frequently asked questions