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Home ยป Pakistani / Indian Recipes ยป 30 Minute Yellow Daal (Masoor Dal)

30 Minute Yellow Daal (Masoor Dal)

Published: Oct 26, 2022 ยท Modified: Nov 10, 2022 by Wajeeha Nadeem ยท This post may contain affiliate links.

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Pakistani Yellow Daal is an easy and nutritious meal to make your dinnertime delicious. This is a delicious, wholesome dal recipe made in just 30 minutes with a simple yet delicious tempering of fresh garlic, cumin, and onion.

Here are some more easy Pakistani recipes you'll love: Aloo Palak, Keema Matar, Chicken Malai Boti, Achari Chicken, and Chicken Palak.

A plate of yellow daal served with white rice, kachumber salad and mint raita.

Daal (also known as dal, dahl, dhal) happens to be the very first meal I made after I got married. I had no knowledge of cooking (chopping onions was my biggest fear) and my mother knowing what a novice I was in the kitchen suggested that I should start with this easy recipe, because it's pretty hard to mess up and also super delicious, and it would be less likely that I would put the kitchen on fire. ๐Ÿ™‚ 

Jump to:
  • About this Recipe
  • Why You'll Love this Recipe
  • Ingredients for the Yellow Daal
  • Tempering Ingredients
  • How to Make Masoor Dal
  • How to Make the Tempering
  • Helpful Tips
  • Serving Suggestions
  • Some Health Benefits of Dal
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Best Yellow Daal Recipe
Cooked masoor dal in green dutch oven, topped with chopped cilantro and tempering.

About this Recipe

This Pakistani lentils recipe is the perfect example of simplicity at its best.

There are many different ways to make lentils and each household in India and Pakistan has different methods and recipes to make daal.

The beautiful thing about lentils is that you can make it as simple as you want or dress it up with tadka (more commonly known as dal tadka) and pair it with white rice or roti / naan (Indian flatbread).

This recipe only requires one type of lentils : red split lentils also known as masoor lentils. It's often made by mixing two different types of lentils (masoor and moong) but  I usually make it just using masoor, and it still turns out scrumptious.

A close up shot split red lentils in a taupe green bowl.

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Super Quick: The best thing about masoor dal is that it doesn't require any soaking, and cooks quickly. So you can have dinner on the table within 30-40 minutes.

So Nutritious: This is a wholesome and nutritious dish, and it's naturally gluten-free and vegan if you don't add butter.

Minimal Effort: This is one recipe you can make even when you're really tired because it is so effortless and requires minimum ingredients. Just add some boiled basmati rice and you're good to go!

However, you don't have to keep it all simple! Daal chawal can be as elaborate as you want it to be. Add some pakoras, kachumber salad, achaar, and mint raita to add all kinds of deliciousness.

P.S. If youโ€™re interested in learning more about South Asian lentil recipes, check out this Ultimate Guide to Daal Recipes in the Pakistani & Indian Manner. There are lots of delicious recipes included too!

Ingredients for the Yellow Daal

Masoor dal, lemon juice, spices, cilantro, and butter laid out on top of a white marble slab.
  • Masoor Daal: This dal doesn't need any soaking and cooks quickly. Sometimes I also add a handful of moong dal for extra flavor. This is however an optional step, and even with just red lentils, it turns out beautifully.
  • Spices: The daal is boiled with just two ground spices plus salt: red chili powder and turmeric powder.
  • Bonus Ingredients: Butter and freshly chopped coriander are the ingredients that take your daal up to another level. Also, add a squeeze of lemon juice at the end to add another amazing note of fresh flavor. Don't get me wrong, this recipe turns out just fine without these ingredients, but with them, it's another level of deliciousness. ๐Ÿ™‚

Tempering Ingredients

Tempering ingredients: sliced red onion, cumin seeds, green chili, and garlic laid out on a light grey plate.
  • Onion: Thinly slice it, so it gets evenly golden brown in the tadka.
  • Fresh Garlic: You will need a clove or two, thinly sliced.
  • Cumin seeds: Adds a delicious flavor to the tadka, but you only need to saute it for a few seconds or else it will burn.
  • Green chili: Slit lengthwise, add it last to the tarka. In just a few seconds it will blister in the oil and release a delicious aroma.

How to Make Masoor Dal

1.) Wash the red split lentils (masoor dal) in water 2-3 times. Drain. Note: In this recipe, I've used only red split lentils, but you can also use a mix of half masoor and half moong, as seen in the pictures below.

How to rinse split red lentils before cooking.

2.) Transfer it to a medium-sized pot, and add enough water so that it is one inch above the lentils.

3.) Add kashmiri chilli powder (laal mirch powder), turmeric (haldi) and salt. Boil the lentils until cooked. Pro tip: To avoid overflowing, place a wooden spoon on top of the pot. This is my mom's tip!

A collage of two pictures showing how to cook dal.

4.) Once it's boiling, you'll often see some floating white foam on top of the water, you can discard it. This is an optional step, and most of the time I don't discard the foamy stuff.

Removing the excess white foam from the daal while it's cooking.

5.) Let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the lentils are cooked through and can be easily mushed with the back of a spoon (see pictures below for reference).

A collage of pictures showing the different stages of cooking masoor dal.

How to Make the Tempering

Once the lentils are almost cooked through, you can start preparing the tadka (spiced tempering) in a frying pan.

A collage of two pictures showing the process of making a spice tempering for lentils.
  1. Heat oil in a small frying pan, and add onions. Fry for a minute or two, until light golden brown.
  2. Add the sliced garlic, and saute for a few seconds.
  3. Now add cumin seeds, and green chili. Fry for a few seconds until fragrant.
  4. Pour over the prepared tadka over the daal, and top with chopped cilantro and butter. Add lemon juice, and mix.
Close up shot of yellow daal sprinkled with freshly chopped coriander.

Helpful Tips

Tip #1: Tempering is basically made up of very hot oil, so be careful when transferring it to the daal.

Tip #2: You can change up the flavor of the tempering by using different ingredients. For example you can use curry leaves, finely chopped tomatoes or whole red chilies when making the tempering.

Tip #3: As the daal cools down, it will thicken. When reheating, you can add some water to change the consistency of it to your liking.

Tip #4: To make the cooking process even faster, you can make the dal in an instant pot or pressure cooker. You will need to pressure cook it for 7-10 minutes.

A plate of red lentils served with white jasmine rice, chapli kabab, and kachumber salad.

Serving Suggestions

These yellow lentils are best enjoyed with plain white rice, fluffy naan/roti, and lots of fresh, crunchy salad. In the picture above, I paired it with white jasmine rice, kachumber, and chapli kabab!

  • Achari Chicken
  • Easy Chicken Karahi Recipe
  • Keema Matar
  • Crispy Golden Potato Cutlets
  • Keema Recipe
  • Aloo Palak
  • Mutton Chops

You can also pair this with delicious salads and raita such as:

  • Easy Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe 
  • Greek Salad
  • Kachumber
  • Mint Raita
Split red lentils served with jasmine rice, kachumber salad, and a mint raita.

Some Health Benefits of Dal

1.) Lentils are known to help lower cholesterol.

2.) It's high in fiber so it's good for the digestive system.

3.) It's also high in protein so it helps in keeping you full for longer.

4.) There have been studies that show it helps in reducing the risk of heart disease.

5.) It's great for weight loss as it is high in protein and fiber, keeps you fuller for longer, and virtually has no fat.

6.) Also it's really yummy and comforting, so that makes you happy...and being happy keeps you healthy. I added that one on my own, but it's true! ๐Ÿ˜‰ :p

Recipe FAQs

How long can you store daal for?

You can store daal in an airtight container up to 2-3 days. You can also freeze daal for up to 1 month.

A plate of yellow daal, rice, kachumber salad and mint raita.

Best Yellow Daal Recipe

This is best and easiest yellow daal ever. Made with just masoor dal, it is then topped with an easy, but aromatic tempering of spices and garlic. This daal is comfort food at its best!
5 from 18 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 309kcal
Author: Wajeeha Nadeem

Ingredients

For the Daal

  • 2 cups masoor daal
  • 4 cups of water (or as needed)
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Tempering

  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 small onion finely sliced
  • 2 garlic cloves thinly sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 green chilli slit in half

Finishing Touches

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter

Instructions

Boil the Masoor Dal

  • Start by placing the red lentils in a bowl, and wash with water 2-3 times. Discard the excess water.
  • Place the daal, water, and spices into a medium-pot. Partially cover with lid, and cook for 30 minutes (occasionally stirring) or until the daal is cooked through, and can easily be mashed with the back of your spoon. See pictures in post for reference.

Prepare the Tempering

  • Heat oil in a small pan, and add the sliced onions.
  • Fry on medium high-heat until the onion is golden brown, then add the garlic and fry it for a few seconds until golden and fragrant.
  • Add the cumin seeds and cook for only 10 seconds, and then add the green chili. Let it blister for a few seconds.
  • Carefully pour over the tadka onto the cooked daal.

Finishing Touches

  • Add the butter, lemon juice and cilantro. Mix well until combined.

Notes

  • Lentils: I only use masoor dal for this recipe, but you can also add a handful of moong dal for extra flavor.
  • Removing the scum: When the dal is boiling, you will see white scum forming on the surface. You can scoop it up and discard if desired.
  • How to Store: Daal can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. You can also freeze it in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Calories: 309kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 0.3mg | Sodium: 431mg | Potassium: 620mg | Fiber: 19g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 80IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 5mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ikneadtoeat or tag #ikneadtoeat!

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Comments

  1. Jay

    December 19, 2019 at 3:54 pm

    5 stars
    Yummy and healthy. That's why I love this curry

    Reply
  2. Sameer

    June 01, 2019 at 1:52 am

    5 stars
    Found your website through this recipe. Thank you it turned out great. Looking forward to seeing the rest of them.

    Reply
    • waj.nad@gmail.com

      June 11, 2019 at 7:26 am

      Thanks Sameer, glad you enjoyed the daal. Happy browsing! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Farheen

    January 10, 2019 at 4:24 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you so so much for this wonderful recipe Wajeeha! I'm a Pakistani living in Toronto and I haven't had daal in months. I won't tell her this but it's better than my mom's daal! I made it this morning right before going to work - super easy!! I think I'll be having daal a lot more thanks to you ๐Ÿ™‚

    Reply
    • waj.nad@gmail.com

      January 15, 2019 at 5:58 am

      Hi Farheen! I'm so glad you liked the daal recipe...it is very easy. I make it at least once a week because its so easy and delicious. Thank you so much for the lovely feedback!! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  4. Shashi at SavorySpin

    May 17, 2018 at 10:33 am

    5 stars
    I simply love dhal or daal - it was one of the first curries I ever made too - and this looks so so good!

    Reply
  5. Silvia

    May 17, 2018 at 10:25 am

    5 stars
    I've made daal before and I love it, but I'm sure I haven't made the original. It still tastes amazing!

    Reply
  6. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    May 17, 2018 at 10:01 am

    5 stars
    I definitely need to give this daal a try, it looks absolutely delicious! I love that daal was the first thing you made after you got married, what a great foodie memory that is.

    Reply
  7. Helena

    May 17, 2018 at 9:57 am

    5 stars
    Daal is a pretty rare dish to spot on so it is great I found it. It was also very informative to find out all the good things daal brings to your body. Sounds impressive!

    Reply
  8. Michelle

    May 17, 2018 at 9:51 am

    5 stars
    This is my kind of comfort food. It's just a bonus that it is good for us! Lovely photos too x

    Reply
  9. Habib Aslam

    May 17, 2018 at 7:51 am

    5 stars
    Thank you -This is almost a definition of simplicity. I love daal my recent discovery is washed moong dal (skin removed). Great to make a dal curry or dall khitchri or dal soup. But I love your recipe.

    Reply
  10. Vicky

    May 16, 2018 at 7:57 pm

    5 stars
    I like how you made this using only one type of lentil. I usually don't have many different variety of lentils at home so that would be helpful. This looks like it would be a filling addition to a meal.

    Reply
  11. camila hurst

    May 16, 2018 at 7:52 pm

    5 stars
    This looks delicious! Love the presentations and the beautiful tomatoes on top!

    Reply
  12. Quinn Caudill

    May 16, 2018 at 7:33 pm

    I love lentils but have never made Daal. I bet I could use my Instant Pot. Breat pics!

    Reply
  13. Tina

    May 16, 2018 at 7:25 pm

    5 stars
    I always order daal when I eat out. I'm definitely going to have to try making it myself. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  14. Dannii

    May 16, 2018 at 6:54 pm

    5 stars
    This is one of my favourite healthy comfort foods. Itโ€™s so cheap to make too.

    Reply
  15. Kristina @ Love & Zest

    May 16, 2018 at 6:31 pm

    5 stars
    This looks amazing! My husband is going to love trying a new dish!

    Reply
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