Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka
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5
240 reviews
Excellent
Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka
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Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka is a spiced yellow lentil dish cooked with aromatics like garlic, ginger, Serrano pepper, and a blend of Indian spices. The dal is simmered until tender and topped with a tempering (tadka) of mustard seeds, cumin, dried red chilies, and curry leaves fried in oil. The result is a creamy, richly flavored dal with fragrant spices and a touch of heat, traditionally served with rice or Indian flatbreads.
Description
This recipe for Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka features split yellow lentils (moong dal) cooked with yellow onion, garlic, ginger, Serrano pepper, curry powder, garam masala, turmeric, and coriander. The lentils are soaked briefly, then cooked until soft in seasoned water and tomato, creating a flavorful base with a tender texture. The cooking process involves developing the base with aromatics and spices, then simmering the lentils to absorb flavors and reach the desired consistency.
The dish finishes with a traditional tadka – a sizzling tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and optional dried chilies sautéed in oil and poured over the dal. This adds a fragrant, slightly toasted flavor and an appealing texture contrast. The dal's blend of warm spices provides a balanced heat and aroma.
Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka is typically served with Basmati rice or Indian flatbreads. It pairs well with fresh herbs, sliced onions, and vegan coconut yogurt for added creaminess and cooling contrast. Adjust water levels for soupier or thicker consistency based on preference.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup split yellow lentils aka moong dal, 200g
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil or neutral oil of choice (more oil needed if not using a nonstick pan
- 1 yellow onion chopped, medium
- 4 garlic minced, cloves
- 1- inch ginger grated or minced (about 1 tablespoon, piece, fresh
- 1 Serrano pepper diced (remove seeds & membranes for less heat
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric ground
- 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 cups water 600-840 mL
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 1 diced tomatoes canned, 14.5-ounce / 410g
- 1 cilantro roughly chopped, small handful, fresh
Tadka
- 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons coconut oil or neutral oil of choice
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds can substitute brown mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5 to 10 curry leaves 10 to 15 dried curry leaves, fresh
- 1-2 dried red chile peppers (optional)
- 1 or 2 pinches asafetida optional, aka hing
Serving Options
- white Basmati rice or Indian flatbread
- vegan coconut yogurt
- cilantro fresh; red onion thinly sliced
- red onion fresh; red onion thinly sliced
Instructions
- Sift through the lentils and remove any pebbles. Soak the lentils in cold water for 15 minutes and then drain them.
- Heat the coconut oil in a heavy, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, until softened and starting to turn golden brown on the edges.
- Add the garlic, ginger and serrano pepper. Cook for 60-90 seconds, or until garlic is lightly browned and the mixture is very fragrant. Add the curry powder, garam masala, coriander, and turmeric and stir to coat into the onions, and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring almost constantly.
- Deglaze the pan with the water (I use about 2 cups at this stage), scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the soaked and drained lentils, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
- Bring the dal to a boil. Then lower the heat and partially cover the pan with a lid (if your lid has a small hole on top to allow steam to escape, you can fully cover the pan). Simmer the dal for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are fully cooked through, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to add adequate moisture/liquid to the dal.NOTE: Depending on your lentil variety, the cook time might vary from 25 to 35 minutes.
- Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until they’ve cooked down and are basically blended into the dal. If using fresh tomatoes, cook them until soft and broken down (fresh needs more time than canned). NOTE: If you want the dal to be thicker/creamier, run an immersion blender through some of the dal, but keep some lentils whole. It will also thicken more upon resting. Finally, stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste, adding more salt as needed.
- When the dal is done, make the tadka. Heat a small frying pan or tempering pan over medium heat on the stove. Add the 1 1/2 - 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil and, once it’s hot and shimmering, add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start popping (30 to 60 seconds), add the cumin seeds for a few seconds. Finally, add the curry leaves, dried red chile peppers (if using) and asafetida (if using). Keep stirring or shaking/swirling the pan to help cook the spices evenly and to prevent burning, 20 to 30 more seconds, or until very aromatic and the curry leaves have shriveled, the chili peppers and cumin seeds have turned darker. Remove from the heat immediately to prevent overcooking.
- Pour the tadka over the dal and stir to combine. If desired, garnish with additional fresh cilantro and taste for seasonings. Serve with white rice and other optional toppings, if desired.
Notes
- Use a jalapeño instead of Serrano or remove seeds for milder heat.
- Adjust water amounts during cooking to achieve preferred dal thickness; start with 2 cups and add more as needed.
- During tomato season, fresh diced or puréed tomatoes can be used instead of canned for fresher flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
346kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
38g
(13%)
Protein
14g
(28%)
Fat
17g
(26%)
Saturated Fat
13g
(65%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Sodium
433mg
(18%)
Potassium
738mg
(16%)
Fiber
17g
(68%)
Sugar
5g
(10%)
Vitamin A
238IU
(5%)
Vitamin C
56mg
(62%)
Calcium
88mg
(9%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 346 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 346kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 38g | 13% |
| Protein | 14g | 28% |
| Fat | 17g | 26% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 433mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 738mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 17g | 68% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 238IU | 5% |
| Vitamin C | 56mg | 62% |
| Calcium | 88mg | 9% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
240 reviews
Excellent
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