Dal Tadka
Dal tadka is an everyday North Indian dal: split yellow lentils simmered until soft and creamy, cooked with a little onion, tomato and spice, then finished with a tadka. The tadka (also called tarka or chhonk) is ghee heated with whole spices, garlic and dried chillies until it sizzles, then poured over the dal at the last minute so its aroma stays fresh. This version uses toor dal (split pigeon peas); yellow moong dal works too and cooks faster. Serve it with rice or roti.
By Mei Lin Tan
Published
- Prep Time
- 10 mins
- Cook Time
- 1 hr
- Total Time
- 1 hr 10 mins
- Servings
- 4 servings
How do you make Dal Tadka?
Rinse 200 g toor dal and simmer it in 900 ml water with turmeric for 40-50 minutes, until completely soft, then whisk it creamy. Cook an onion, garlic, ginger and 2 tomatoes with ground spices, stir into the dal with salt and simmer for 5 minutes. For the tadka, sizzle cumin seeds, sliced garlic and dried chillies in 2 tbsp ghee and pour it over.
- Total time
- 1 hr 10 mins
- Calories
- 300 per serving
- Protein
- 12 g
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Method
- Simmering and tempering
Ingredients
Dal
Masala
Tadka
To serve
Equipment
Medium heavy-bottomed pot with a lid · Medium skillet · Small pan for the tadka · Whisk
Quick Directions
Rinse the dal
Rinse the dal until the water runs almost clear.
Cook the dal
Simmer the dal with turmeric for 40-50 minutes until completely soft, then whisk it creamy.
Make the masala
Cook the onion until golden, then the garlic, ginger, tomatoes and spices until thick.
Combine
Stir the masala, salt and garam masala into the dal and simmer for 5 minutes.
Make the tadka
Sizzle the cumin, dried chillies and garlic in ghee, add the chili powder off the heat and pour over the dal.
Serve
Scatter the dal with coriander and serve hot with rice or roti and lemon wedges.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Every step for making dal tadka, written out in full.
Rinse the dal
Put the dal in a bowl and rinse it in 4-5 changes of cold water, rubbing it between your fingers, until the water runs almost clear. Drain.
Cook the dal
Put the dal in the pot with the 900 ml water, turmeric and 1/2 tsp ghee. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes, and skim off any foam. Turn the heat to low, partly cover and simmer for 40-50 minutes, stirring now and then and adding a splash of hot water if it gets too thick, until the lentils are completely soft and fall apart when pressed. Yellow moong dal takes 20-25 minutes. Whisk for 30 seconds to make it creamy.
Make the masala
About 15 minutes before the dal is ready, heat 1 tbsp ghee in a skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds, then add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring, until golden. Add the garlic, ginger and green chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, coriander and chili powder and cook for 5-6 minutes, pressing with the spoon, until the tomatoes break down and the ghee separates at the edges.
Combine
Scrape the masala into the cooked dal, add the salt and garam masala and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. The dal should pour like a thick soup: add hot water to loosen it, or simmer a few minutes longer to thicken it. Taste for salt and keep it hot.
Make the tadka
Just before serving, heat 2 tbsp ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds; when they sizzle and darken a shade, after about 30 seconds, add the dried chillies and sliced garlic. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring, until the garlic is light golden. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the asafoetida (if using) and the chili powder, which turns the ghee red, and pour it straight over the dal. It will hiss.
Serve
Scatter the dal with coriander and serve hot with rice or roti and lemon wedges.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse the dal well. It washes off surface starch and dust and cuts down the foam as it boils.
- Cook the dal until completely soft before the tomato masala goes in, because acid from the tomatoes can stop lentils softening.
- Have the dal hot and ready before you start the tadka, and pour it over as soon as the garlic turns light golden. Burnt garlic or chili powder tastes bitter.
- Dal thickens as it cools. Thin it with hot water when you reheat it, then check the salt.
Variations
- Pressure cooker: cook the rinsed dal with 750 ml (3 cups) water and the turmeric for 4-5 whistles in a stovetop pressure cooker, or for 10 minutes at high pressure in an electric pressure cooker with a natural release, then carry on from the masala step.
- Vegan: use neutral oil instead of ghee in the masala and the tadka.
- South Indian-style tempering: add 1 tsp black mustard seeds with the cumin and a sprig of curry leaves in place of the sliced garlic.
- Dal palak: stir 2 large handfuls of chopped spinach into the dal with the masala and simmer until wilted.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 300 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbs | 39 g |
| Fat | 11 g |
| Saturated fat | 6.5 g |
| Fibre | 8.5 g |
| Sugar | 4 g |
| Sodium | 720 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Refrigerate within 2 hours in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze in airtight containers for up to 3 months, leaving a little space at the top. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat
- Reheat in a pan over medium heat with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot, 74°C (165°F). Pour a fresh tadka over reheated dal if you like.
Dal Tadka FAQs
What does tadka mean?
Tadka is the Hindi word for tempering: whole spices, garlic and chillies fried briefly in hot ghee or oil, then poured over a dish. It is also called tarka, chhonk or baghar in different regions. The hot fat draws flavour out of the spices, and adding it at the end keeps the aroma fresh.
Which lentils are best for dal tadka?
Toor dal (split pigeon peas) is the usual choice and gives a creamy, mild dal. Yellow moong dal (split, skinned mung beans) is lighter and cooks in 20-25 minutes, and many cooks mix the two. Masoor dal (red lentils) also works and cooks in 15-20 minutes, though it is not the classic choice.
Why are my lentils not getting soft?
Old dal, hard water and adding tomatoes or other acidic ingredients too early can all keep lentils firm. Simmer the dal in water with turmeric until completely soft, adding hot water as needed, before the tomato masala goes in. Soaking toor dal in water for 30 minutes before cooking also shortens the time.
Can I make dal tadka without onion and garlic?
Yes. Leave them out of the masala and the tadka, and add a pinch of asafoetida with the cumin seeds in the tadka for a savoury note. Use a gluten-free asafoetida if you need the dal gluten-free, since many brands contain wheat flour.
Is dal tadka vegan or gluten-free?
As written it is vegetarian but not vegan, because it uses ghee; use neutral oil instead for a vegan dal. It is gluten-free if you leave out the asafoetida or use one labelled gluten-free, because most asafoetida powder is blended with wheat flour.
Can I freeze dal tadka?
Yes. Cool it, then freeze it in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, reheat it with a splash of water until steaming hot, 74°C (165°F), and pour a fresh tadka over it if you like.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
