Dal Fry with Tadka

Dal fry is the everyday dal of Punjabi restaurants and homes: yellow lentils cooked until soft, then simmered with a light onion-tomato masala and finished with a smoky ghee tadka poured on top. The dal itself is simple, but the two-stage flavouring is what makes it special, with a base masala for body and a final tempering of garlic, cumin and dried red chilli for aroma. It is quick enough for a weeknight and pairs equally well with plain rice, jeera rice or hot phulkas. Use toor dal alone or mix it with a little moong or masoor for a creamier texture.

Method

1. Wash the dals and pressure cook with water, turmeric and 1 tsp salt for 4 to 5 whistles, until completely soft. Whisk lightly to a thick, pourable consistency.
2. In a pan, heat 1 tbsp ghee and cook the onion on medium heat until light golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Add ginger-garlic paste and green chillies and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, coriander powder and chilli powder; cook until the tomatoes turn mushy, about 5 minutes.
4. Pour in the cooked dal and 1/2 cup hot water if needed. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes on low heat, adjusting salt.
5. For the tadka, heat 2 tbsp ghee in a small pan. Add cumin; when it crackles, add garlic and red chillies and fry until the garlic is golden, about 1 minute.
6. Turn off the flame, add hing and Kashmiri chilli powder, then immediately pour the tadka over the dal. Cover for 2 minutes.
7. Finish with coriander and a squeeze of lemon.

What to serve it with

Serve with steamed rice or jeera rice, papad, pickle and sliced onions with lemon.

Storage

Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water and add a fresh spoon of ghee on top.

Variations

• Use only masoor dal for a faster-cooking, softer dal fry.
• Add a pinch of garam masala and kasuri methi for a dhaba-style finish.
• Skip the onion-tomato base for a quick dal tadka with just the tempering.

Print this recipe

Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.