This Dal Tadka recipe has toor dal (also known as arhar dal) flavored with onions, tomatoes and tempered with spices and ghee. It is one of the most popular Indian dals also one of my absolute favorites. I grew up eating toor dal every day of my life, but that used to be a basic dal, with tadka of just ghee and cumin seeds. This restaurant-style dal is a lot more aromatic, flavorful and uses burnt charcoal for that smoky flavor which makes it even more special!
Dal (lentils) is a staple in every Indian household. Various types of lentils are used in Indian cooking on an everyday basis. Different regions of the country prepare it in different ways. The consistency of the dal, the tadka ingredients, everything changes regionally and even from one household to another.
This Dal Tadka recipe is the one that’s popular in northern parts of India and one that I grew up eating. Whenever we would eat out at restaurants or dhabas (roadside restaurants in India), we would always order the dal tadka along with jeera rice, aloo gobi, tandoori roti and sirke wale pyaaz. It’s such a wholesome combination. If you are an Indian, you know what I am talking about!
The literal translation of Dal Tadka is Dal=lentil and tadka=tempering. Tadka or chaunk (in Hindi) is a term we often use in Indian cooking for the process of adding seasoning to a dish. It mostly involves blooming spices like cumin seeds, mustard seeds, garlic, chilies, curry leaves etc. in hot oil or ghee.
Over the years, I have tried and tested various versions of dal tadka. This is the version that comes closest to the one you love at your favorite Indian restaurant or dhaba.
My Tips to Make Restaurant Style Dal Tadka
While my husband is a die-hard dal makhani fan, my dad will still choose dal tadka every time. And as far as I am concerned, I love them all, including my favorite chana dal and simple masoor dal. This dal tadka can be made with a combination of lentils or a single lentil. Some recipes use a combination or masoor dal, toor dal and chana dal, while others use toor and chana dal. I use just plain toor dal for this recipe. But you can definitely mix and match the lentils and see what works for you. Here is what has worked for me to get this recipe closest to restaurant-style.
Using fresh ingredients- pound some fresh ginger and garlic in your mortar and pestle for this recipe, using store bought ginger-garlic paste is fine but it does not add as much flavor as using fresh ingredients does.
Use ghee for cooking- use ghee for cooking the masala for the dal and also for the final tadka. Ghee really imparts so much flavor to the dal.
Infuse smokey flavor to the dal through dhungar method-this is now you elevate a basic dal tadka recipe.
Dhungar method is the technique of infusing the flavors of burnt charcoal (smokey flavor) into a dish. If you are going to smoke the dal, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Use the non-self-igniting variety of coal. You can find it in the grilling section of grocery stores.
- Use a heatproof bowl like steel bowl to keep the hot coal in it.
- Always use a pair of tongs as the coal will be hot, so handle it carefully.
How To cook the dal- Stove-Top, Instant Pot & Pressure Cooker
Stove-top: If you are going to cook the dal in a pot, you might consider soaking the dal first for around 20-30 minutes. This is optional but it helps in getting the dal to a desired texture quicker. Add the lentil and water to a pot along with salt and turmeric and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and cook uncovered for around 30 minutes or until the dal is very soft. If water is getting less as the dal is cooking, you can add more water, ½ cup at a time and cook until the dal is cooked to creamy, soft texture. This time may vary depending on the type of lentil you are using and the age of lentils. Older lentils took longer to cook and if you use chana dal in you recipe, that will also take longer to cook.
Pressure cooker: In my home in India, mom always cooked the dal using a stovetop pressure cooker. If you have the same traditional pressure cooker, cook the dal for 4 whistles on high heat, then lower the heat and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes. When done, the dal should be very tender.
Instant Pot: If you have an Instant pot, you are going to add the dal and water to the Instant pot, close the lid and press the pressure cook/manual button. Cook the dal on high pressure for 8 minutes with the pressure valve in sealing position and let the pressure release naturally.
Let’s Make Dal Tadka
- Cook the dal first- either in a pressure cooker/instant pot or stove-top
Rinse the dal first, at least twice. Then cook it with salt and turmeric until it’s completely cooked and very tender. A lot of Indians I know like their dal to be very soft/mushy at this stage, whereas some prefer some dal particles to be still visible. It’s a personal choice!
- The masala base is where the magic happens!
The base of this dal tadka is made with fresh onions, tomatoes, ginger, garlic and chilies. Pound that fresh ginger-garlic with your hands, it’s worth the effort!
- More layers of ingredients create deeper flavors
Once the masala base is done, then we add different spices and herbs in layers thus creating bold flavors! It’s important that this masala is cooked well and there’s so raw smell or taste.
- Simmer the dal with the masala
The cooked dal and the masala must mingle together for a bit for those flavors to deepen. You can also adjust the consistency of dal at this point. Add hot water to make it thinner.
- Final tadka for extra flavor
Bloom the garlic, red chilies and Kashmiri red chili powder for that extra flavor at the end. Kashmiri red chili powder also lends a beautiful color to the dal.
- Dhungar technique takes the dal to the next level!
The dal is great at this point as is but take it a notch up by infusing it with smoky flavor. It will taste just like the one from your favorite dhaba! Enjoy with jeera rice or rotis.
Storage and Re-heating
Store the dal in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight glass container. The dal thickens considerably in the fridge. To reheat, you can either use the microwave or use a pot on stovetop. I usually reheat on stovetop. You will need to add some hot water while reheating to thin it out a little before serving.
Dal Tadka (Restaurant-Style)
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal, 200 grams , also known as arhar dal/split pigeon peas lentil
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 & ½ teaspoon salt, divided, adjust to taste
- 3 & ½ cups water, divided
- 4 large garlic cloves, divided
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 green chili
- 1 & ½ tablespoon 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, whole
- 1 medium red onion, 150 grams , chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon red chili powder, or adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon kasuri methi, crushed, dried fenugreek leaves
Tempering/Tadka
- 1 tablespoon ghee , 15 ml
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon hing, also known as asafoetida
- 2 dried red chilies
- ¼ teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder, optional
piece of charcoal & melted ghee, for dhungar method, optional
Instructions
- To a stove-top pressure cooker add 1 cup toor dal along with ½ teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt and 3 cups water. Pressure cook for 4 whistles on high heat then lower the heat and let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Let the pressure be released naturally. If using an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 8 minutes and let the pressure release naturally. If cooking on stove-top, add dal and water to the pot and cook for around 30 minutes uncovered until dal is very tender. Refer to the notes in the blog post. Set the cooked dal aside.
- Meanwhile, crush 4 large garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger and 1 green chili using a mortar pestle and set it aside.
- In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1& ½ tablespoons ghee on medium heat. Once hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon coriander seeds (crushed) and 2 cloves. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Then add 1 medium onion (chopped), cook for around 3 to 4 minutes until they are soft and start to change color. Add the crushed garlic-ginger-green chili. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until raw smell goes away.Add 2 medium tomatoes (chopped) along with remaining ½ teaspoon salt and mix. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until the tomatoes are very soft and cooked.
- Then add ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ⅛ teaspoon red chili powder (refer note 1), 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped) and 1 teaspoon kasuri methi. Stir the spices with the masala for 30 seconds.
- Add the boiled dal to the masala now and mix. I also added ½ cup water here as dal looked very thick to me. Let the dal simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
- For the tadka, heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Once the ghee is hot, add 2 garlic cloves (chopped), ¼ teaspoon hing (refer note 2) and 2 dried red chilies. Cook for one minute until the garlic starts changing color. Then add ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder and remove the pan from heat. Pour the tadka over dal and mix.
- This last step is optional but recommended.For the dhungar method – place a steel bowl on top of a trivet placed inside the pot of dal (refer to step by step pictures in the post). Then heat a piece of charcoal over direct heat until it’s red hot using a pair of tongs. Using the same pair of tongs, transfer that hot charcoal to the steel bowl on top of the trivet. Pour melted ghee (around 1 tablespoon) on top of charcoal.You will see fumes coming out of charcoal. Immediately close the pan with the lid. Let it remain like this for 5 to 10 minutes. After 5 to 10 minutes, remove lid and remove the bowl from dal. The longer you keep the lid closed, the smokier the dal will be, so don't do it more than 10 minutes.
- Garnish dal with cilantro andserve hot with jeera rice or rotis.
Video
Notes
- To make the dal spicier, use more of the regular chili powder. The Kashmiri red chili powder is very mild and mainly for the color, and I have used only 1/8 teaspoon of regular chili powder. Use 1/2 teaspoon or even more for a spicier dal.
- Use gluten free hing to make this recipe gluten free.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Hi I can’t wait to try this recipe. I don’t have a pressure cooker or IP. How can I make on stovetop?
Hi Cynthia, you should soak the lentils for 2-3 hours and then cook on stove-top on medium heat until lentils are cooked and very soft. This will take 30-45 minutes. Once they are soft then follow the recipe as is.
Very happy with my results trying this recipe. Followed everything except for omitting coriander seeds because I didn’t have any and didn’t use charcoal at the end.
Thanks for trying!
I tried this recipe today and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever cooked! Thank you!
Absolutely delicious!
Thank you, I’ve made this now for the last 2 years and it’s perfect ! I let the onions cook a bit longer, add do double tardka!
Cannot wait to try this, looks amazing, thanks!
Could you alternatively cook this in a wok after pressure cooking the dal?
yes sure
I absolutely love this recipe. I make it every fortnight. However, I double the quantity of all spices. This is my rule of thumb for all Indian recipes online.
I haven’t got the things to try the dhungar method at the end yet but I really want to.
This was really good. I doubled it and and used the pressure cooker. I may have got the water to lentil measurement off, it was pretty thick. But a great recipe!!
This is one of my favorite healthy meal preps for the week. I am always excited to make this one, and the charcoal technique is never anything I’ve seen before. I’ve been trying to find other uses for it!
Also, I made a bunch for a backpacking trip and dehydrated it over the summer. It was easily he best thing we ate during our trip and was still super delicious once we rehydrated it. Thanks for the recipe!
it’s a favourite! 🙌
Hi Manali, I just wanted to thank you for this excellent recipe. I started making it in Australia where I grew up and now I make it here in France for me and my fiancé. It’s never let me down, it tastes so authentic! I generally double the recipe and freeze the leftovers for quick comfort food. The weather is getting colder, and nothing sounds better to me than a big bowl of this delicious dal. Bon appétit!
Thanks Kate for the lovely feedback! appreciate it 🙂
Not sure what wrong I did, because of the coriander seeds I couldn’t finish the curry in the end and had to throw it away.
maybe you didn’t crush them? you can always skip them if you are not a fan of coriander seeds
Manali, Thank you for sharing your excellent recipe. Everyone in my family loves it.
Thank you Sam , glad to know!
It was -15 here in the Frozen North this morning so my wife and I were really looking forward to some flavourful, warming, comfort food for supper. Miss Manali’s Dal Tadka was a perfect choice. The wonderful, full bodied aroma and taste from the dhungar method was well worth the extra few steps. Smoked the lentils for 10 minutes but only five would have been sufficient. Served with paneer tikka masala and rice. Thank you, Miss Manali, for another winning recipe!
This recipe is so tasty and well-explained !! Probably one of, if not, the best tadhka dal recipe around !
One day I’ll try the dhungar method, meanwhile I added a little chipotle chili powder to the mix to add a smoky flavor. Of course it’s not the same, but it gave an idea of how delicious it might be with the dhungar method. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes with us !!
Welcome Marlene!
So delicious. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Tried this today.This came out well. Thanks Manali.
This is actually better than most Indian restaurants. So good. Thanks Manali
glad to hear Kevin!
I don’t know what to say. I followed this recipe to the letter, and without doubt this is the best dal tadka recipe outside of India. My pressure cooker doesn’t whistle but turning the heat to high wait for the steam to release, then 12 mins on medium did the trick. Whatever you so don’t substitute ingredients. Massive kudos Manali, you did it again.
so thrilled to hear that Craig! Thanks for the feedback!
I absolutely LOVED your receipe. I usually shy away from making Indian complex foods because there are so many flavors to think about and one tiny mistake can change the dish. But took a leap of faith and tried your receipe…. OMG I loved it. Everyone enjoyed it. This receipe is for keeps.
Thanks for the feedback Gurmeet!
I don’t have a pressure cooker. How long will it take in a pot on the stove.
soak the lentils for 4-5 hours, then it should cook in 30-45 minutes or so
This may be a silly question but if I do it this way, should I soak the lentils in 3.5 cups of water, and just add the rest of the ingredients to that after they soak, or should I dump out the water I’ve soaked them in? If I dump out, should I still use the full 3.5 cups for the recipe?
you will drain the water in which lentils were soaked. Then cook the lentils in more fresh water until they are cooked on stove-top. Yes it might take that much water to cook through, maybe even more since water evaporates on stove-top compared to a pressure cooker.
the recipe is amazing full of flavor and taste what brings the final touch to it is the pan fried garlic with the chilli amazing aroma and taste!!! I’ll definitely make this recipe again thank you:)
Love it love it love it! I’ve become totally addicted to this version of dal tadka, thank you for all the details. Such a humble thing, toor dal, but this way, wow!
I understand your dad :))
🙂 glad you enjoyed it!
Manali, I loved this. The flavor has more complexity than other dals I have made. I didn’t have charcoal lying around to do the dhungar method, but maybe in the summer when we’re grilling I will!
Easy for a first timer, and came out great! Only change was that I used a dash of bottled smoke flavoring (mesquite) in place of the charcoal/ghee method.
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it out later this week.
Does it keep well? Can it be made ahead of a dinner party and stored in the fridge for a day or two or freezer? Any suggestions welcomed.
it will be fine for 2 days, I would then do the tadka at the time of serving, so do everything minus the tadka and store for 2 days in the fridge if you want. Re-heat on stove, add water as needed and then do the tadka before serving