The most amazing and authentic Indian dal recipe packed with flavor, so easy and nutritious. Make it rich and exotic restaurant style or simple and comforting home style. Guaranteed to be a hit always!
This dal will go well with spicy meat patties and spring onion paratha.
Table of Contents
Indian Dal Recipe
The Indian dal has as many recipes as there are families in India. But there are two popular ones - an exotic and rich restaurant style known as tadka dal and then a basic simple dal recipe the way its prepared at home.
Tadka is an Indian word used to denote the process of seasoning a dish by gently tempering spices in hot oil and then adding it to the preparation. This helps extract the aromas and infuse it into the dish.
What is Dal?
This is the quintessential Indian dish. It is spelled in different ways - dal, daal, dhal or even dahl - based on its phonetic pronunciation.
One of the most popular dishes of the Indian subcontinent, it is routinely found in humble homes to the rich dining halls. And for a good reason!
It is quite inexpensive, easy to make with readily available ingredients and with a global mass appeal. So, with this dish and recipe you are picking a sure winner for your next menu.
Recipe Ingredients
Dal or Lentils: Here I am using masoor dal (red lentils) as it is widely available and cooks quickly into a smooth dish. But you can also use many other Indian yellow lentils - channa dal, toor dal, split moong dal, or a combination.
Spices and Condiments: The tadka style requires cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, dried red chillies, curry leaves, turmeric, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves), finely chopped shallots or onions etc
Tomatoes: A small amount of finely chopped tomatoes adds a delightful taste, texture and appearance to the dal.
Chopped Cilantro: This is an essential herb to use for dal.
Curry leaves: This imparts a characteristic taste that is typical for dal and some Indian dishes. The fresh leaves are available at Indian grocery stores and dried leaves can be found online.
Ghee/Butter: A dollop of ghee or brown butter drizzled over dal takes it to the next level.
Green chillies: If you want the dal to be hot, add chopped green chilies.
Lemon: If you like the dal to be a bit tangy you may add some lemon or lime juice.
How to Make it
In a cooking pot, cook red lentils with chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced garlic and turmeric until well done and mushy.
Restaurant Style Tadka
Heat oil in a small sauce pan and sauté cumin seeds, dried red chillies, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, shallots and tomatoes.
Then add green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and kasuri methi. Stir and turn off the heat.
Add most of the tempered spice oil and cilantro to cooked dal, stir and simmer. Top with remaining tempering, cilantro and ghee.
Simple Home Style
Heat oil and sauté mustard seeds, cumin seeds, sliced garlic, dried red chillies and curry leaves.
Add most of the tempered spice oil and cilantro to cooked dal, stir and simmer. Top with remaining tempering, cilantro and ghee.
Is Dal Healthy?
Dal is vegetarian, light and makes a wholesome dish with brown rice. The split lentils used to make this dish are packed with protein, fiber, folic acid, phosphorus, manganese, iron and phytochemicals.
Being a good source of soluble fiber, lentils aid in lowering cholesterol levels. Regular consumption of lentils may help with reducing the risk of heart disease and obesity.
Variations
This dal is gluten free, vegetarian, egg free, nut free and soy free.
- Vegan and Dairy Free: Use coconut oil or any other vegetable oil of your choice.
- Adding a dollop of ghee and/or butter adds a very rich taste to dal. You can make your own brown butter if you don’t have ghee. If you use oil for cooking the dal, then you just need a few teaspoons of ghee or brown butter drizzled on the top for that extra nice taste. Checkout our baklava recipe post for how to make brown butter.
- Add other finely chopped vegetables to give it a different taste and flavor.
- Use a combination of yellow lentils to make dal with a different taste and texture.
Pro Tips
- Soak the lentils before cooking, if using toor dal (split pigeon peas), chana dal (yellow split peas), moong dal (split green gram).
- Chop the onions and shallots very finely.
- Stop cooking the dal before it reaches the desired consistency, as it will thicken a little more after cooking.
- You can also try using chicken stock to cook the dal instead of water. It may add unique taste to the dal.
- Store leftovers in refrigerator and warm it up adding some water for desired thickness.
More Indian Recipes:
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Dal Recipe (Indian Red Lentil Curry)
Ingredients
Dal
- 1 cup red lentils masoor dal or other yellow lentils
- 1 onion yellow, medium, finely chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely sliced
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric
- 4 cups water
- Salt to taste
Restaurant Style Tadka (tempering)
- 2.5 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4 dried red chilies
- 8 - 10 curry leaves
- 1.5 inch ginger finely grated
- 4 cloves garlic finely grated
- 1 shallot medium, finely chopped (or small onion)
- 1 tomato small, finely chopped
- 1 green chili optional, remove seeds for less heat
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chili powder* Kashmiri chili powder is less pungent
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi dry fenugreek leaves
Home Style Tadka
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds optional
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- 5 dried red chilies
- 8 - 10 curry leaves
Garnish
- 2 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 tablespoon ghee optional
Equipment
Instructions
- Rinse the lentils well until the water is clear and drain in colander. Tip: If using other yellow lentils instead of red lentils, then soaking in water for about an hour will help.
- In a medium cooking pot take the drained red lentils, chopped onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced garlic, turmeric, water and bring it to a boil.
- Lower the heat and cook it for about 30 minutes. Add salt to taste and continue to cook until most lentils start breaking down, become a bit mushy and turn into a thick sauce like consistency.
- Cook the dal until it reaches a consistency that is thinner than what is desired, because it will thicken further after cooking.
Restaurant Style Tadka
- Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Place your palm three inches above the oil and when it is hot enough, add cumin seeds.
- When the seeds start to splutter, add dried red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté a little bit and then add the chopped ginger and garlic.
- Sauté few minutes and then add chopped shallots and cook until translucent. Then add chopped tomatoes and cook until softened.
- Next add green chilies, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala and kasuri methi. Stir and turn off the heat. Don’t let the spices burn.
- Then add most of the tempered spice oil, and half the chopped cilantro into the cooked dal, stir and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the dal into a serving dish. Add the remaining tempering, cilantro and ghee on the top. Serve with steamed rice.
Home Style
- Heat oil or ghee in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Place your palm three inches above the oil and when it is hot enough, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- When the seeds start to splutter, add the sliced garlic and sauté a little bit. Then add the dried red chillies and curry leaves. Sauté everything until garlic turns a light tan color and curry leaves are cooked.
- Turn off the heat and add most of the tempered spice oil, and half the chopped cilantro into the cooked dal, stir and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Transfer the dal into a serving dish. Add the remaining tempering, cilantro and ghee on the top. Serve with steamed rice.
Notes
- Ghee is available at most supermarkets. Or you can make it at home. Check out the notes section of chickpea cookies recipe.
- Remove the seeds from green chilies to lower the heat.
- Curry leaves are available at Indian grocery stores.
- You may substitute chana dal, toor dal, moong dal or a combination and adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- If using other yellow lentils (and not red lentils) then soaking in water for about an hour will be good.
Lisa
Absolutely delicious, bursting with flavors! I spent 3 weeks in India both in the North and South, the flavor produced here took my sense back to a trip of a lifetime!
Roxana Begum
Thanks Lisa for the lovely feedback!
Sarah
The taste of this recipe is very close to what my Mum makes.
I wonder how does one deal with the foam whilst the dhall is boiling?
Roxana Begum
I rinse the lentils well before cooking it. In the first few minutes I let the lid sit ajar so the water doesnt boil over. With time it eventually subsides. Stir it in between. You can also skim the foam off.
Tony
Lost an old friend's recipe who introduced me to daal. This one was pretty close to what I remember from her recipe and is really great! Many thanks.
Tammy
I've always wanted to make dal. It sounds so delicious and so comforting...this is beautiful! Pinning for later!
Roxana Begum
Thanks Tammy. Hope you enjoy making it :)
Kelly Anthony
I love trying new foods and your step by step directions will make my first time making dal a breeze.
Tisha
I've never had dal before. This looks so flavorful and a great vegan dish!
Toni
I loved it! So comforting and easy to make!
Vicky
Now, this looks like a deliciously filling dish! Lots of flavor going on too!