Dal Tadka
Soft yellow lentils finished with tadka - spices bloomed in hot ghee and poured over at the very last second, so they hit the table still crackling.
- Time
- 40 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Steps
- 7
- Ingredients
- 10
Method
- 01
Rinse the dal until the water runs clear, then boil it with the turmeric and 3 cups of water for 25 minutes until completely soft.
- 02
Whisk the cooked dal briskly so it turns creamy, adding hot water if it is too thick. Season with salt and keep it warm.
- 03
For the tadka, heat the ghee in a small pan until shimmering.
- 04
Add the cumin seeds, dried chillies and asafoetida. They should sizzle at once. If they do not, the ghee is not hot enough.
- 05
Add the garlic and fry to a light gold, then the onion, and cook until soft.
- 06
Stir in the tomato and cook 3 minutes until it collapses.
- 07
Pour the whole sizzling tadka over the dal, stir once, and scatter with coriander.
Cooking Tips
- Whisk the cooked dal hard. That is what turns it creamy without any cream.
- The ghee for the tadka must be hot enough that the cumin sizzles on contact, or the spices stew instead of blooming.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Toor dal is standard, but masoor or moong dal cook faster and work fine.
- Butter or oil can replace ghee, though ghee gives the characteristic nutty flavour.
What to Serve With It
- Serve with plain rice, and something crisp like papad alongside.
Storage and Reheating
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge and thickens considerably - loosen with hot water when reheating.
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