Dal Tadka

Name: Dal Tadka
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 85 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: North Indian
Ingredients: 200 g toor dal (split pigeon peas); 1000 ml water (750 ml for cooking, the rest to adjust thickness); 0.5 tsp ground turmeric; 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste); 3 tbsp ghee (divided: 2 tablespoons for the masala, 1 for the final tadka); 1 tsp cumin seeds (divided); 0.25 tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) (many hing brands contain wheat flour; check the label); 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped, divided); 10 g fresh ginger (finely chopped); 2 pcs green chillies (slit lengthwise); 1 whole onion (medium, finely chopped); 2 whole ripe tomatoes (medium, finely chopped); 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (divided); 1 tsp ground coriander; 2 whole dried red chillies; 0.5 tsp garam masala; 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves (chopped)

Serves 4 · 85 min · North Indian

Ingredients

200 g toor dal (split pigeon peas)
1 L water
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp ghee
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing)
6 cloves garlic
10 g fresh ginger
2 green chillies
1 onion
2 ripe tomatoes
1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tsp ground coriander
2 dried red chillies
½ tsp garam masala
2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

Method

01
Rinse the dal Wash the toor dal in a bowl of water, rubbing it between your fingers, and change the water three or four times until it runs mostly clear.
02
Soak the dal Cover the rinsed dal with fresh water and leave it to soak for thirty minutes, then drain it.
03
Pressure cook the dal Put the drained dal in a pressure cooker with 750 millilitres of water, the turmeric, half the salt and a few drops of ghee, close the lid and cook on medium heat for about fifteen minutes, or four whistles.
04
Let pressure release Turn off the heat and let the pressure drop on its own before opening the lid.
05
Whisk the dal smooth Mash the cooked dal with the back of a ladle or a whisk until creamy, adding hot water a little at a time until it is a thick, pourable consistency.
06
Crackle the cumin Heat two tablespoons of ghee in a pan over medium heat and add half the cumin seeds, letting them sizzle until they darken slightly.
07
Fry the onion Add half the garlic, the ginger, the green chillies and the onion, and fry, stirring often, until the onion turns light golden.
08
Cook the tomato masala Add the tomatoes, half the Kashmiri chilli powder, the ground coriander and the remaining salt, and cook until the tomatoes break down and the ghee starts to separate at the edges.
09
Simmer dal with masala Pour the whisked dal into the pan, stir in the garam masala, and let it simmer gently, stirring now and then.
10
Make the final tadka In a small pan, heat the last tablespoon of ghee, add the remaining cumin, the dried red chillies, the asafoetida and the remaining garlic, and fry until the garlic is just golden, then take it off the heat and stir in the rest of the Kashmiri chilli powder.
11
Pour and garnish Pour the sizzling tadka over the dal, scatter the chopped coriander on top, and serve hot with steamed rice or roti.

Method

Rinse the dal

Wash the toor dal in a bowl of water, rubbing it between your fingers, and change the water three or four times until it runs mostly clear.

Soak the dal

Cover the rinsed dal with fresh water and leave it to soak for thirty minutes, then drain it.

Soaking helps the dal cook evenly and break down to a creamy texture.

Soak the dal · 30 min

Pressure cook the dal

Put the drained dal in a pressure cooker with 750 millilitres of water, the turmeric, half the salt and a few drops of ghee, close the lid and cook on medium heat for about fifteen minutes, or four whistles.

Without a pressure cooker, simmer the dal covered in a heavy pot for forty to forty five minutes, stirring now and then and adding hot water if it gets too thick.

Pressure cook the dal · 15 min

Let pressure release

Turn off the heat and let the pressure drop on its own before opening the lid.

Let pressure release · 10 min

Whisk the dal smooth

Mash the cooked dal with the back of a ladle or a whisk until creamy, adding hot water a little at a time until it is a thick, pourable consistency.

The dal should be fully soft and fall apart when pressed. If grains still hold their shape, cook it a few minutes longer.

Crackle the cumin

Heat two tablespoons of ghee in a pan over medium heat and add half the cumin seeds, letting them sizzle until they darken slightly.

The ghee is ready when a cumin seed sizzles straight away. If the seeds turn black, start again or the dal will taste bitter.

Crackle the cumin · 00:30

Fry the onion

Add half the garlic, the ginger, the green chillies and the onion, and fry, stirring often, until the onion turns light golden.

Fry the onion · 6 min

Cook the tomato masala

Add the tomatoes, half the Kashmiri chilli powder, the ground coriander and the remaining salt, and cook until the tomatoes break down and the ghee starts to separate at the edges.

Cook the tomato masala · 5 min

Simmer dal with masala

Pour the whisked dal into the pan, stir in the garam masala, and let it simmer gently, stirring now and then.

Dal thickens as it stands, so keep it a little looser than you want it at the table.

Simmer dal with masala · 5 min

Make the final tadka

In a small pan, heat the last tablespoon of ghee, add the remaining cumin, the dried red chillies, the asafoetida and the remaining garlic, and fry until the garlic is just golden, then take it off the heat and stir in the rest of the Kashmiri chilli powder.

Add the chilli powder off the heat so it turns the ghee red without burning.

Make the final tadka · 1 min

Pour and garnish

Pour the sizzling tadka over the dal, scatter the chopped coriander on top, and serve hot with steamed rice or roti.

Dal Tadka

Ingredients

Method

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