Tadka Dal is one of the most popular recipes at Indian restaurants, but it’s so easy to make it at home with my recipe, that you’ll never need to go to another restaurant to enjoy this delicious dal!
So, Tadka Dal has to be one of my favourite recipes, and I’d like to say it’s the national dish of Pakistan (but I don’t think it is officially – although it should be).
The beautiful thing about Tadka Dal is that everyone has different ways of making it.
Some simply boil the dal with a few spices, while some recipes call for making a masala first.
If you’re looking for the most simplest of daal recipes then check out my recipe for Daal which only calls for boiling one kind of daal with a handful of basic spices.
But if you’re looking for a restaurant style dal then this Tadka Dal is the one for you!
However, first let me answer a few frequently asked questions about dal…
What Does Tadka Mean?
Tadka (also spelled as Tarka) is basically a tempering that’s pour over cooked dal. It’s made from heating oil and usually varies but the most basic tadka is frying sliced onion in oil until golden brown.
Then this tadka is topped with sliced garlic, green chillies and cumin seeds. This aromatic tadka is then poured over hot dal, which adds firework flavours to the dal.
What Kind of Dal is Required for Tadka Dal?
I use two kinds of dal for this recipe: moong and masoor dal. One is yellow, one is a coral pink.
However there’s not hard and fast rule and you can make this dal with just one kind of dal too (either moong or masoor).
Pictured below is masoor dal.
How Do You Make Tadka Dal?
For this Tadka Dal, you start by making a delicious masala base of onion, tomatoes, ginger & garlic paste and some basic spices such as red chilli powder (kashmiri lal mirch), turmeric powder (haldi) and salt.
Once the masala is cooked the bhunnafied (meaning that the oil has separated from the masala and visible on top of the curry), you add the moong and masoor dal, along with some water.
Boil the dal on medium-low heat for 20-25 minutes or so, until it is cooked through.
Then prepare the tadka, and pour it over the hot dal.
And that’s it…that’s how easy it is to make tadka dal.
What to Serve with Tadka Dal?
I like to serve Tadka Dal with rice or naan, and a side of salad and one of the following snacks:
Baked Spinach and Cheese Samosa
I do hope you try this delicious Tadka Dal, and if you do, please let me know how you liked it! 🙂
Enjoy!!
P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about South Asian lentil recipes, check out this Ultimate Guide to Daal Recipes in the Pakistani & Indian Manner. They’re lots of delicious recipes included too!
Tadka Dal
Ingredients
For the Dal
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 medium tomato finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chilli powder
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1/2 cup moong dal
- 1/2 cup masoor dal
- 1-2 cups water
For the Tadka
- 4 tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion finely sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic sliced
- 1 green chilli sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Chopped coriander for topping
Instructions
For the Dal
- Start by soaking the moong and masoor daal in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Set aside, while you make the masala for the dal.
- In a large pot, heat the oil and fry the onion for 3-4 minutes until it is softened and translucent.
- Then add the tomatoes and the spices and a splash of water.
- Cook on medium heat until the tomatoes have softened and the oil has come to the surface of the masala. This will take about 5-7 minutes, and be sure to stir frequently.
- Now drain the soaked dal, and add it to the masala. Add 1 cup of water and on medium heat cook the dal for 25-30 minutes, or until it has cooked.
- You may need to add more water depending on how thick the dal is and what kind of consistency you like.
- Once the dal is cooked, set the pot aside.
For the Tadka
- In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the sliced onion until it is golden. Add the garlic and fry for about 30 seconds. Now add the green chilli and fry for a 30 seconds or so, and finally add the cumin seeds which only take 10 seconds or so to release their aroma.
- Carefully pour this tadka (tempering) onto the cooked dal and top with chopped coriander.
- Serve with rice and salad.
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