Dal Tadka is a Traditional Punjabi Recipe, Lentils tempered with spices and ghee, this Dal Tadka is one of the most popular Indian dishes and also my personal favorite.
Ingredients:
1 cup toor dal, 200 grams, also known as arhar dal/split pigeon peas lentil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1.5 teaspoon salt, divided, adjust to taste
3.5 cups water, divided
4 large garlic cloves, divided
1 inch ginger
1 green chili
1.5 tablespoons ghee, 22 ml, also known as clarified butter or use oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed in mortar pestle
2 cloves
1 medium red onion, 150 grams, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
1/8 teaspoon red chili powder, or adjust to taste
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon kasuri methi, crushed, dried fenugreek leaves
Tempering/Tadka
2 teaspoons ghee , 10 ml
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon hing, also known as asafoetida
2 dried red chilies
1/4 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder, optional
Procedure:
Step- 1: To a pressure cooker add toor dal along with turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups water.
Step- 2: Pressure cook for 4 whistle on high heat then lower the heat and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. If using an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 8 minutes with natural pressure release. Set it aside.
Step- 3: Meanwhile crush 4 large garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger and green chili in a mortar pestle and set it aside.
Step- 4: In a heavy bottom pan, heat ghee on medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds and cloves. Saute for few seconds until fragrant.
Step- 5: Then add onions, cook for around 3 to 4 minutes until they are soft and start changing color.
Step- 6: Add the crushed garlic-ginger-green chili. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
Step- 7: Add the chopped tomatoes along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until tomatoes are very soft and cooked.
Step- 8: Then add the coriander powder, garam masala, kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, cilantro and kasuri methi. Stir the spices with the masala for few 30 seconds.
Step- 9: Add the boiled dal to the pan and mix. I also added 1/2 cup water here as dal looked very thick to me. Let the dal simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
Step- 10: For the tempering/tadka, heat 2 teaspoons ghee in a small pan. Once the ghee is hot, add 2 chopped garlic cloves. Also add hing and dried red chilies.
Step- 11: Cook for one minute until the garlic starts changing color. Add kashmiri red chili powder remove pan from heat.
Step- 12: Pour tempering over the dal and mix.
This last step is optional but recommended.
Step- 13: For the dhungar method – place a steel bowl on top of a trivet placed inside the dal. Then heat a piece of charcoal over direct heat until its red hot.
Step- 14: Place hot charcoal in that steel bowl on top of the trivet. Pour melted ghee (around 1 tablespoon) on top of charcoal. You will immediately see fumes coming out of charcoal.
Step- 15: Immediately close the pan with a lid. Let it remain like this for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove lid and remove the bowl from dal.
Step- 16: The longer you keep the lid closed, the smokier dal will get, so don’t do more than 10 to 15 minutes.
Step- 17: Garnish dal tadka with more cilantro and serve!
For the detailed description of the Dal Tadka and the Pujabi Recipes explore the a food encyclopedia.
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