Dal Tadka is a quintessential, soul warming, North Indian comfort food.  I used to think it was a ‘simple’ dish, until I attempted cooking it. Only then did I realize how much more there was to it. There are several ingredients and steps involved in this recipe and it took me a few attempts to master it, to get the right texture and flavor. It was totally worth the effort though. This dal is so good!

Tadka

Tadka is the Hindi word for the process of tempering a dish. In this technique, herbs and spices are roasted in oil or ghee (clarified butter), thereby allowing the spices to release their oils and aromas to infuse into the food. This tempering process completely changes the flavor, aroma and taste of the dish and bumps it up by several notches.

Dhungar

Taking tadka a step further, dhungar (another Hindi term) is the process by which charcoal smoke is infused into the tempering. This gives the dish a smoky flavor you may have experienced with a restaurant made dal. I have skipped this process since I feel the dish tastes fabulous even without the smokiness.

Lentils for Dal Tadka

Lentil Varieties

Undoubtedly, lentils are the biggest source of protein for vegetarians. While vegetables are a great source of nutrition and should form at least 60-70% of your average daily food intake, they do not provide enough protein. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, it is good to sneak dal into your menu for at least one meal a day.

I use two different lentils in this recipe-toor dal (split pigeon pea) and yellow mung. I like to pressure cook lentils for at least 20 minutes or more, since they need to be nice and mushy. If you don’t own a pressure cooker or an IP, make sure you soak the lentils for at least 4-6 hours before cooking them on the stove top. In either case it is a good practice to soak lentils.

 

Why is this Healthy?

Toor dal is an excellent source of nutrients and plant protein, and contains dietary fiber. Toor dal contains folic acid, an important vitamin for all women. Mung beans are a high source of nutrients including manganese, potassium, magnesium, folate, copper, zinc and various B vitamins. They are also a very filling food, high in protein, resistant starch and dietary fiber.

 

Check out other delicious lentil recipes:

 

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Delicious Dal Tadka!

Dal Tadka is a soul warming, quintessential, North Indian lentil preparation.  Enjoy with steamed rice or roti. It is so delicious!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Dal, Indian, Lentils, Soup, Tadka, Tempering
Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Pressure Cook Lentils 25 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 People
Calories 141kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Cloves Garlic - Diced
  • 1 Teaspoon Ginger - Diced
  • 1 Pepper Green Chili Pepper - Fine cut
  • 1/4 Cup Tomato - Fine cut
  • 1/2 Cup Onion - Fine cut
  • 1/2 Cup Toor Dal - Split Pigeon Peas
  • 1/2 Cup Yellow Mung
  • 1/2 Cup Cilantro - Chopped
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing)
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
  • 1 Pepper Dry Red Chili
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - (or to taste)
  • 2 Tablespoons Ghee - Organic

Instructions

  • Make sure you have these ready before you start cooking: 1. Pressure cooked lentils (toor and mung dal cooked together under high pressure for at least 20 minutes) 2. Diced ginger and garlic (1 clove), fine cut tomato, onion, green chili pepper 3. Chopped cilantro 4. Turmeric and red chili powder (or cayenne pepper) 5. Diced garlic (1 clove), cumin seeds, dry chili pepper and asefetida (hing).
  • Set Instant Pot (IP) on 'saute' mode, add ghee. Once the 'hot' sign comes up, add onion and diced ginger/garlic. Cook for a minute or more till onion turns slightly brown.
  • Now add tomatoes, chili peppers and cook for a couple of minutes. Add turmeric, red chili powder and mix well.
  • Add pressure cooked lentils, salt, half a cup of water and mix well.
  • Add cilantro, mix well and turn IP off. Transfer dal to a serving container.
  • Heat ghee in a pan on a stove top. Add tadka ingredients (diced garlic, cumin, dry chili pepper). Cook till garlic turns brown, add hing and mix well.
  • Add tadka to the dal and serve hot (mix well before serving).

Notes

Have this dish by itself as a soup, use it as a dip with your roti or mix it with steamed rice and ghee.
*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Delicious Dal Tadka!
Serving Size
 
4 g
Amount per Serving
Calories
141
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
8
g
12
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Cholesterol
 
19
mg
6
%
Sodium
 
168
mg
7
%
Potassium
 
62
mg
2
%
Carbohydrates
 
14
g
5
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
5
g
10
%
Vitamin A
 
287
IU
6
%
Vitamin C
 
4
mg
5
%
Calcium
 
17
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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