Dal Tadka Recipe | Super Simple Recipe for Punjabi Dal Tadka
Dal Tadka Recipe is a recipe of simple lentils tempered with spices & ghee. Dal Tadka is one of the most popular lentil recipes served in Indian restaurants & at home. The literal translation of Dal Tadka is Dal = lentil and tadka = tempering.
Dal, known as Lentils in English, is a staple food in all Indian vegetarian households. It is a very rich source of proteins. Hence, wherever you are in the world you will always find Dal Tadka as one of the lentil offerings in the Indian cuisine restaurants.
Recipes made using dal or lentils is very common across India. There are innumerable recipes made with different types of lentils. These are made for a different purpose and on different occasions.
One such simple and easy lentils based recipe is the Toor dal or Arahar dal based dal tadka recipe known to obtain its flavour from the tampering.
Today, we will see how to make this delicious dal at home. This version is with a double tadka that really makes it the best dal that you will ever have!
Punjabi dal tadka recipe
More About Punjabi Dal Tadka Recipe
Dal and Rice are the staple food in many Indian homes. It is basically a lentil stew made with split pigeon peas served with rice.
From a street-side eatery joint, popularly known as Dhaba, to any fine dining place and meals at home, Punjabi Dal Tadka would always be the part of the menu. Dal, when tempered with ghee and spices, becomes everyone’s favourite especially kids.
Dal is the main protein dish for many vegetarians, and hence a dal dish is prepared almost every day in an Indian home. Every region in Indian makes dal in different ways.
In North India, Punjabi dal tadka recipe is made by tempering with cumin, garlic, turmeric, onions and tomatoes. In South India, it is used to make sambar.
Toor dal or Yellow Split Pigeon Pea or Arhar Dal is one of the most popular dal made in India. It is this that founds the base of a Punjabi dal tadka recipe. Dal tadka is very easy to prepare and can be ready in minutes. It is one of the easiest dal to make for a weeknight dinner.
Variations of Dal Tadka Recipe
Lentils have been a part of the staple Indian vegetarian diet as they are a great source of vegetarian protein. They are easily available, inexpensive and also quite filling.
There are many different varieties of lentils available for an Indian household kitchen.
Some most popular ones are tuvar or arhar (split pigeon peas), dhuli moong (split & skinned green gram), dhuli masoor (red lentils) and chana dal (Bengal gram).
The most popular version of this Punjabi dal tadka recipe is prepared using tuvar or arhar (split pigeon peas), but it can be made using dhuli moong (green gram) and dhuli masoor (red lentils) or by mixing with each other.
Dal Tadka Recipe | Yellow Dal Tadka Recipe | Punjabi Dal Tadka Recipe
Ingredients
Step 1 - Boil the dal
- 1/2 Cup Tuvar dal / Pigeon Peas Split
- 1 Tablespoon Hari Moong dal / Green Gram
- 1/4 Cup Masoor dal / Red lentils
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Ghee / Vegetable Oil
Step 2 - Prepare the dal
- 2 Tablespoons Ghee / Clarified butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon Jeera / Cumin
- 1 Piece Tej patta / Bay Leaf
- 1 Pinch Hing / Asafoetida
- 2 Piece Sookhi Lal Mirch / dried red chilli
- 4 cloves Lehson / Garlic
- 1 inch Adrak / Ginger
- 1 Piece Pyaz / Onion
- 1/4 Teaspoon Haldi Powder / Turmeric
- 1/2 Teaspoon Lal Mirch / Red Chilli
- 1 Teaspoon Dhaniya / Coriander powder
- 1 Piece Tamatar / Tomato
- 2 Tablespoon Dhaniya Patta / Coriander Leaves
- 1 Teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 0.5 Teaspoon Salt Please adjust it to suit your taste
Step 3 - For the tempering or tadka
- 1 Tablespoon Ghee / Clarified Butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon Jeera / Cumin Seeds
- 2 Piece Khadi Lal Mirch / Whole Red Chillies
- 1/4 Teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
- 5 gram Hing / Asafoetida Two Pinches
Instructions
Step 1 - Boil the lentils
- Wash your lentils thoroughly and transfer the washed lentils to a pressure cooker.
- Add water, turmeric powder and a little bit of ghee (ghee will help to reduce the emerging process while pressure cooking dal)
- Pressure cook for 5 whistles or until dal is cooked well.
Step 2 - Prepare the dal
- Heat ghee in a frying pan or a Kadai (ghee is used to give a distinct flavour to the recipe).
- Heat 2 tbsp ghee and splutter ½ tsp cumin, 1 bay leaf, pinch hing and 2 dried red chillies.
- Then, add garlic, ginger and green chilli. Saute for a while.
- Add onions and saute until it turns golden brown.
- Also, add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and a pinch of garam masala.
- Add tomatoes & saute until they turn soft and mushy.
- Cook the mixture for 10 mins till the masala softens.
- Add boiled dal and mix. Adjust the consistency using some hot water. Cook the mixture for 10 mins on a low-medium flame.
For the Tadka
- Heat oil in tadka pan. Add a pinch of cumin and hing. When they crackle add dry red chillies and Kashmiri red chilli powder.
- Pour this tadka on the top of the dal and you are done.
Additions & Variations - Dal Tadka Recipe
- You may want to add some masoor dal (red lentils) but it is optional. Masoor dal helps to give a good texture.
- You may want to use a vegetable oil of your choice in place of ghee to make this vegan.
- You can adjust the spice level to your choice by increasing green chilli or red chilli powder.
Serving Suggestions - Dal Tadka Recipe
- To make your meal wholesome, serve this Punjabi dal with your favourite carb (roti, paratha, naan) and a green salad.
- You may serve it hot with jeera rice and a dollop of ghee.
- Dal tadka is best enjoyed when topped with chopped coriander and desi ghee.
- Pair it with chicken curry and rice for a super meal spread.
Recipe Notes - Punjabi Dal Tadka Recipe
- Yellow dal tadka tastes great when prepared with a slightly thick consistency.
- You may use a combination of lentils to make Punjabi dal tadka. Commonly used are tuvar dal & moong dal or tuvar dal & masoor dal (red lentils).
- The second tempering with ghee enhances the flavour of dal substantially.
- A smoky flavour can be added to the yellow dal with of coal. This process is called “dhungar”.
- You may add a tablespoon of kasoori methi to the dal as well. Do it at the end but before the tadka.
- Use a very good quality hing to give the tadka as it lends it a very delicious flavour.
FINALLY, TO SUM IT UP
Dal, known as Lentils in English, is a staple food in all Indian vegetarian households. It is a very rich source of proteins. Hence, wherever you are in the world you will always find Dal Tadka as one of the lentil offerings in the Indian cuisine restaurants.
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