Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka is a nutritious, comfort, delicious dish made by seasoning dal with ghee and spices. Dal Tadka is my choice for rice when I run dry out of veggies at kitchen and could be made in no time. Dal Tadka recipe is posted here with step by step pictures and video.

Dal Tadka is my choice for rice, roti. Basmati rice with Dal Tadka is my goto whenever I run out of time, or don’t have any vegetablesin stock or for a lazy day lunch. Dal Tadka is to be taken with ghee to experience the best of the dish.

About Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka is a nourishing & comforting sidedish made by pressure cooking dal with onion & tomato and blend with tempered spices. Dal Tadka is a soothing homely meal for all ages and stomach friendly. The family craves for more when Dal Tadka is tasted by mixing with rice & ghee or taken as a side with roti or phulka.

Dal is a protein packed dish that has numerous health benefits. Soaking the dal and cooking will ease the digestive system from gas.

Dal Tadka 2 ways

I have shared 2 recipes here

• Method 1 : Smoked restaurant style dal tadka
• Method 2 : No onion no garlic simple dal tadka

Dal Tadka & Dal Fry – the difference!

Dal Fry is often confused with Dal Tadka, however there is a variation in the method of cooking of both these dishes. In Dal Tadka, the dal is pressure cooked along with onion,tomato and then finally the tadka is added. The tadka tempering is the key flavour given to the Dal Tadka. In Dal Fry, the dal is pressure cooked first without any other ingredients and then simmered with tempered spices, onions & tomato which gives a slightly different flavour & taste. Both Dal Tadka & Dal Fry are a must try at home!

Eat Healthy – Eat Dal Tadka!

Dal is a good source of protein and has low glycemic index which controls blood sugar levels. Adding dal in diet helps in good fetal growth, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels, stabilizing blood pressure, slowing the ageing, building glowing & radiating skin.

Dal Tadka – The assortment of dals

Dal Tadka can be made with just one dal or a blend of dals. I have tried with different combinations of Dal and all turned out to be too good.  I have used a blend of toor dal, masoor dal & moong dal in this recipe.

Dal Tadka Ingredients

• Dal : Light coloured unpolished dal is the best– Choose them when you have options. Toor,Tuvar, Arhar, ThuvaramParuppu, Pigeon Peas are all the same –Toor Dal. Moong, Green Gram, Payatham Paruppu are all the same – Moong Dal. Masur, Masoor, Masar, Pink Lentil are all the same – Masoori Dal. Yellow split moong dal is used here.
• Ghee : Dal tastes best with ghee – So do not miss it or replace with oil. Use homemade ghee else the one that suits your taste from the store.
• Spices, Onion & Tomatoes : infuses good flavours in Dal Tadka. Garnish the fry with coriander leaves!

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Dal Tadka Recipe Step by Step

1.Take 1/2 cup toor dal, 1/8 cup masoor dal and 1/8 cup moong dal.

2.Rinse well and add it to cooker along with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 3 cups water, few drops gingelly oil and salt as needed. Close with lid with weight on.

3.Pressure cook for 5 whistles in medium flame. Switch off and let pressure release by itself.

4.Open and mash dal well. Set aside.

5.Heat 1 tbsp oil + 1 tsp ghee – add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds let it splutter. Then add few curry leaves along with 1 finely chopped green chillies. Then add 1 tsp finely chopped garlic.

6.Give a quick saute until garlic turns golden.

7.Add onion, tomatoes along with required salt.

8.Saute until tomatoes turn mushy and raw smell leaves.

9.Now add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder and 1/2 tsp garam masala powder.

10.Saute for a minute.

11.Add cooked dal alongw ith 1/2 cup rinsed water.

12.Mix well until well blended.

13.Simmer for few mins.

14.Now burn few charcoal pieces directly in flame. Be at a safe distance while doing this as it might splutter. Switch off.

15.Carefully using a tong transfer to a small flat bottomed bowl.

16.Now keep this bowl inside the kadai. Add a tsp of ghee inside the bowl.

17.It will start to smoke immediately close with lid.

18.Open then garnish with 1 tsp kasoori methi and 1 tbsp coriander leaves.

19.Mix well. Switch off.

20.Now for tadka heat 1 tbsp oil with 1 tsp ghee then add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds let it splutter then add 1 nos red chillies along with 1 tbsp garlic finely chopped.

21.Fry until garlic turns golden brown then add a pinch of hing and 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder. Give a quick mix and Switch off.

22.Add half of the prepared tadka to dal. Reserve the remaining for garnish.

23.Mix well and Dal tadka is ready.

Serve hot with basmati rice and ghee drizzled!

Carrot Dal Tadka – No Onion, No Garlic

Carrot Dal Tadka which is very tasty with the addition of carrots in it a no onion no garlic recipe perfect for the vrat days.

I love dal recipes and this one was with no onion and garlic , sure a welcoming change to any dal recipe lover like me. It tasted in between sambar and dal according to me, nevertheless  a great combo with soft phulkas.

Ingredients

Toor Dal – 1/2 cup
Moong Dal – 1 tbsp
Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Carrot – 1/4 cup grated
Tomato – 1 small
Salt – to taste

To roast and grind

Pepper – 1/2 tsp
Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Coriander Seeds – 1 tsp
Red Chillies – 1

To temper

Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Green Chillies – 1 finely chopped
Curry leaves – a small sprig

Method

1. Dry roast the ingredients listed under ‘to roast and grind’ till nice aroma rises.Grind it to a semi fine powder,Set aside.Heat a tsp of oil, saute carrot and tomato till raw smell leaves.Pin
2. Rinse the dals and soak it for 15mins. Transfer the dals to the pressure cooker along with sauted tomato,carrot with enough water say 1 cup.Pin
3. Pressure cook for 5 whistles or until mushy.Mash it up with a laddle.Heat it up, add little water if its too thick.Now add the spice powder and give a quick mix.Crush jeera with your hands and add it.Add required salt.Let it boil for 5mins.Pin
4. In a tadka pan – heat oil add the ingredients listed under ‘to temper’ let it splutter then add it to the boiling dal.Switch off.Pin

Serve with hot rice or phulka.

Expert Tips

• While tempering you can use a mix of ghee and oil. Drizzle ghee again after tempering the dal.
• Soaking dal is optional but helps dal in cooking faster and softer.
• The measurement of dal I have given is according to our taste and liking, feel free to experiment.
• The consistency should neither thick nor runny, should be inbetween the two – creamy.
• Adding green chillies and red chillies together gives a great flavour.You can skip the chillies and add 1/2 tsp red chilli powder instead.
• Dal thickens with time so switch it off accordingly.

Serving & Storing Suggestions

Drizzle ghee on the Dal Tadka& serve with rice – Dal & Chawal tastes heavenly& comforting!Eat hot and fresh for a lingering taste, however, there will be a slight reduction of flavour if consumed cold or later. The beauty with Dal Tadka or Fry is that you will feel light even with excessive consumption of it!

Refrigerate if you wish to keep it for next day and reheat in stovetop or microwave before serving!

FAQs

1.What is Dal Tadka?

Dal Tadka is a nourishing & comforting sidedish made by pressure cooking dal with onion & tomato and blend with tempered spices.

2.Is Dal Tadka and Dal Fry the same?

Yes – literally. However there is a variation in the cooking method & taste that
differentiates both of them. In a dal tadka, the dal is cooked with onions, tomatoes
and other ingredients and then tempering mixture is added & mixed. In Dal Tadka,
the dal is simply cooked plain and then mixed with a tempered onions, tomatoes &
spices and the whole mixture is further simmered for few minutes.

3.Can I add vegetables to Dal Tadka?

Yes – it is optional. You can add spinach, carrot, beans, bhindi – cook them in another container of pressure cooker and mix along with Dal.

4.Can Dal Tadka be made with just the toor dal?

Dal Tadka can be made with just one dal or a blend of dals of your choice. I have tried with different combinations of Dal and all turned out to be too good. Follow the same procedure of cooking for any of the dal combos.