Dal Tadka Restaurant Style Recipe with step by step photos. It is one of the most popular dal recipe served in Indian restaurants. Basically, dal tadka are cooked lentils which are lastly tempered with oil or ghee fried spices & herbs. A vegan dish.
I have to admit that I simply love the dal tadka that is served at the restaurants even though we hardly eat out. So I try to recreate the restaurant magic in most of the food that I make at home.
Tadka or chaunk is the Hindi word for tempering. In this technique the spices & herbs are fried in oil, thereby the spices release essential oils & thus changes the flavor, aroma and taste remarkably of the final dish in which the tempering is added. Tempering is very much a part of cooking Indian food. In fact we temper almost everything like dal, veggies dishes, chutneys.
Dal is a staple in Indian food. India has so many varieties of dal recipes. Each region, each state having their own delicious recipes. Few more Popular dal recipes are:
This dal tadka recipe Is North Indian style than South Indian style. You can make it with any yellow dal (split lentils). I make the dal tadka sometimes with Arhar dal (split pigeon pea lentils) and Masoor dal (split pink lentils) and sometimes only with Arhar dal.
The Dal tadka preparation is easy. First make the dal and then lastly temper it just before serving. You can also make the dal ready and keep in the fridge. Before serving heat the dal and then just temper it. Serve immediately.
The tempering adds a lot of flavor and aroma to the dal. the plain cooked creamy yellow dal gets paired beautifully with steamed rice or jeera rice (cumin flavored pilaf). I have added tomatoes to the dal tadka but you can skip adding tomatoes. For tempering you can add ghee instead of oil. I have used sunflower oil.
The Dal tadka can be served with rotis and chapatis and steamed basmati rice or cumin rice. At times I flavor the dal tadka with a smoky burnt aroma of blazing charcoal. In the step by step pics below, I have illustrated this method as I have got a few comments and requests for this technique. This method is called the dhungar in Hindi. You can easily skip this method if you don’t have charcoal.
How to make dal tadka
1. Rinse the lentils and add them to the pressure cooker. The below pic shows only tuvar (arhar dal or split pigeon pea lentils). You can also cook the lentils in a pot. Just soak the lentils for an hour or two before you cook them in a pot. Cooking the lentils in a pot, will take more time than cooking in the pressure cooker. Method on how to cook lentils in a pot is mentioned in the notes section of the recipe card below.
2. To the lentils, add chopped onions, tomato, green chilies, ginger.
3. Pour 2.5 cups of water. If cooking in a pot, then about 4 to 4.5 cups of water can be added.
4. Add turmeric powder and asafoetida (hing).
5. Stir well.
6. Pressure cook the lentils for about 7 to 8 whistles or more till they become soft and creamy. Mash the dal with a wired whisk or with a spoon and keep aside. If the dal looks thick, then add some water. About ½ cup to 1 cup water (depending on the thickness of the dal) to get a medium consistency. Simmer the dal for 3 to 4 minutes. Consistency of the lentils in the below pic.
7. Once the desired consistency is reached, add cream (optional), garam masala powder, crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), chopped coriander leaves and salt. Switch off the fire. Please note crushed kasuri methi can also be added in the tempering later and skipped at this step.
8. Mix well so that everything combines uniformly. check salt before you add the tempering. If less than add more salt.
9. The final consistency of the dal.
Optional – dhungar method for dal tadka
10. Next is the dhungar method of flavoring the dal tadka with the smoky fumes of burnt charcoal. For this with the help of tongs or on a grill pan like shown in the pic below, place a small piece of charcoal. Burn the charcoal till it becomes red hot. Please use natural charcoal for this method. Note that This is an optional step and you can proceed directly to the tempering method.
11. Place the red hot charcoal in a small steel bowl. You can also use onion layers or a halved hollow onion for the same.
12. Pour about ¼ tsp of oil or ghee on the charcoal. You will see fumes emanating as soon as you pour oil or ghee on the hot charcoal.
13. Place this bowl on the dal.
14. Cover the cooker or the pot with a lid and let the dal get infused with the charcoal smoke. Just keep for 1 to 2 minutes. The more you keep. The more smoky the dal will become. Remove the bowl carefully with the help of tongs and cover the dal. Keep aside.
Making tempering for dal tadka
15. Next heat oil or ghee or butter in a small pan. First, add cumin seeds and crackle them. The cumin should get fried and not be raw, but don’t burn them.
16. now add red chilies, asafoetida and chopped garlic. Let the garlic brown and the red chilies change color.
17. Lastly add kasuri methi (add kasuri methi, if you have not added them before to the dal) and red chili powder. Stir and switch off the stove. Make sure to fry the tempering ingredients at a low flame, so that you don’t burn them.
18. pour the entire tempering along with the oil/ghee into the dal.
19. you can mix the dal or Serve the dal tadka with the tempering on top it. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve it hot with steamed basmati rice, cumin rice or with Indian flatbreads like roti or paratha or chapati.
Few more tasty lentil recipes for you !
Dal Tadka
Ingredients
for making dal
- 1 cup arhar dal (tuvar dal or split pigeon pea lentils) or ½ cup arhar dal + ½ cup masoor dal (split pink lentils)
- 1 or 2 green chilies - chopped or slit lengthwise
- 1 medium sized onion - chopped
- 2 medium sized tomato - chopped
- ½ inch ginger - finely chopped or grated or about ⅓ to ½ teaspoon of grated or chopped ginger (optional)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 to 2 pinch garam masala powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 2.5 cups water for pressure cooking
- 1 teaspoon crushed kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- 1 or 2 tablespoon cream (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
- salt as required
for tempering or tadka
- 2 tablespoon oil or 1.5 tablespoon ghee or butter
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves - finely chopped
- 2 to 3 dry red chilies
- a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves
(cilantro leaves)
for dhungar method
- a small piece of charcoal
- ¼ teaspoon oil or ghee (clarified butter)
Instructions
preparation
- Rinse the lentils and add them to the pressure cooker. The below pic shows only tuvar or arhar dal. You can also cook the lentils in a pot. Just soak the lentils for an hour or two before you cook them in a pot. Cooking the lentils in a pot, will take more time than cooking in the pressure cooker. Method on how to cook lentils in a pot is mentioned in the notes section of recipe details below
- To the lentils, add chopped onions, tomato, green chilies, ginger.
- Pour 2.5 cups water. If cooking in a pot, then about 4 to 4.5 cups water can be added.
- Add turmeric powder and asafoetida. Stir well.
- Pressure cook the lentils for about 7 to 8 whistles or more till they become soft and creamy. Mash the dal with a wired whisk or with a spoon and keep aside. If the dal looks thick, then add some water to get a medium consistency. Simmer the dal for 3 to 4 minutes. Pic of the consistency of the lentils in step 6
- Once the desired consistency is reached, add cream (optional), garam masala powder, crushed kasuri methi, chopped coriander leaves and salt. Switch off the fire. Please note crushed kasuri methi can also be added in the tempering later and skipped at this step.
- Mix well so that everything combines uniformly. Check salt before you add the tempering. If less than add more salt.
dhungar method (optional) for dal tadka
- Next is the dhungar method of flavoring the dal with the smoky fumes of burnt charocal. For this with the help of tongs or on a grill pan like shown in the pic below, place the a small piece of charcoal. Burn the charcoal till it becomes red hot. Please use natural charcoal for this method.note that this is an optional step and you can proceed directly to the tempering method.
- Place the red hot charcoal in a small steel bowl.
- Pour about 1/4 tsp of oil or ghee on the charcoal. You will see fumes emanating as soon as you pour oil or ghee on the hot charcoal.
- Place this bowl on the dal.
- Cover the cooker or the pot with a lid and let the dal get infused with the charcoal smoke. Just keep for 1 to 2 minutes. The more you keep. The more smoky the dal will become. Remove the bowl carefully with the helps of tongs and cover the dal. Keep aside.
making the tempering (tadka or chaunk)
- Next heat oil or ghee or butter in a small pan. First add cumin seeds and crackle them. The cumin should get fried and not be raw but don't burn them.
- Now add red chilies, asafoetida and chopped garlic. Let the garlic brown and the red chilies change color.
- Lastly add kasuri methi (add kasuri methi, if you have not added before to the dal) and red chili powder. Stir and switch off the stove. Make sure to fry the tempering ingredients at a low flame, so that you don't burn them.
- Pour the entire tempering along with the oil/ghee into the dal.
- You can mix the dal or serve the dal tadka with the tempering on top it. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Serve dal tadka hot with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice or with rotis or phulkas.
Notes
- Instead of oil you can temper the dal with ghee (clarified butter).
- The dal tadka consistency is neither thick nor thin but medium. But if you prefer you can go for a slightly thick or thin dal consistency.
- You can also soak the dal for 30 to 40 minutes before cooking them.
- Soak the lentils for about 1 to 2 hours. Drain and rinse then well in water.
- In a deep pot, add 4 to 5 cups water added to the lentils. Add the rest of the ingredients mentioned in the recipe.
- Cover and cook the lentils. If the water begins to froth and bubble, then remove the lid or cover it partly and continue to cook the lentils till they become soft and creamy.
- If the water becomes less, then add some hot water.
- Once the lentils are cooked (takes from 45 mins to an hour or sometimes more… depends on the quality of the lentils). Then follow the recipe further.
Hi Dassana, this is one of my favourite recipes, I make it a couple of times a month and it’s always popular with friends. Thank you for all your recipes, I love your website very much!
hi laura, thanks for the lovely feedback. so nice to read it. most welcome and happy cooking.
Dear Dassana,
I love this recipe and have made this so many times that now I know it almost by-heart!
A few questions though:
1. I don’t stock cream and never used it in this recipe. Does omitting cream make a lot of difference?
2. Can we add sour cream, Creme fraiche or yogurt instead?
3. Some recipes you mention coriander leaves and in some you don’t. Any particular reason why we shouldn’t use corrainder leaves in this recipe?
4. Not a question.. but a big thanks to you. You are awesome ????
Waiting for your answers
Love,
Priya.
thank you priya ????
your queries answered:
1. not much difference. you can skip cream.
2. avoid adding sour cream or creme fraiche or yogurt if you do not like a sour taste. if you like sour taste, then you can experiment. it will give sour taste in the dal. my mother makes dal tadka with yogurt and it is something which i never approve of, though she makes this at times.
3. i have mentioned adding coriander leaves in the recipe. the garnish is done with coriander leaves. in most indian recipes, coriander leaves are added, so you can safely add them in any indian curry or dal recipe.
4. thanks again and hugs ????
regards
dassana
Enjoyed making the dal tadka dish. Instructions were crystal clear and easy to follow.
My wife and my neighbours have finally conferred upon me with the pro chef title.
Thanks a lot Dassana!
Welcome Priyanko. Glad to read your positive comment.
it literally made my mouth salivate…..the images are also great and the recipe good job
thank you.
I’ve made this recipe twice and I finally got everything the way I wanted the second time. I followed it exactly as written and served with paranthas because that’s our favorite. Really delicious and healthy.
It turn out to be wonderful always a big fan of Amit ji????
Super easy and came out brilliant. Thank you
Welcome Sanjay
Could you substitute the jeera with nigella in the tadka step?
you can. but nigella seeds will give a different flavor.