Creamy Dal Tadka with Garlic Chili Tempering

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Restaurant-style sizzle at home: the hot tadka wakes up every spice.
• Weeknight-friendly: mostly pantry staples, ready in under an hour.
• Ultra-creamy without cream: gently mashed lentils create a luscious texture.
• Flexible: make it mild or spicy, ghee-rich or fully vegan.

Grocery List

• Produce: Onion, tomato, garlic, fresh ginger, green chili (optional), cilantro, lemon
• Dairy: Ghee (or use oil for vegan)
• Pantry: Toor dal (or split yellow moong dal), cumin seeds, dried red chilies, ground turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder (optional), asafoetida/hing (optional), fine salt, basmati rice

Full Ingredients

Dal Base

• 1 cup (200 g) toor dal (split pigeon peas), rinsed until water runs clear
• 3 1/2 cups (830 ml) water, plus more hot water to adjust consistency
• 1 small onion (about 100 g), finely chopped
• 1 medium tomato (about 120 g), diced
• 1-inch (15 g) fresh ginger, grated
• 1 small green chili, slit lengthwise (optional)
• 1 teaspoon fine salt (or to taste)

Tadka (Tempering)

• 2 tablespoons ghee (or neutral oil for vegan)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 5–6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 dried red chilies (Kashmiri or similar)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder (optional, for color and mild heat)
• 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing), optional (use gluten-free hing if needed)

To Finish & Serve

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• Steamed basmati rice, for serving (about 4 cups cooked)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Rinse and prep

Place the toor dal in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold water, rubbing the lentils with your fingers, until the water runs mostly clear (about 1–2 minutes). Finely chop the onion, dice the tomato, grate the ginger, and slit the green chili if using. Optional but helpful: soak the rinsed dal in warm water for 15 minutes to speed up cooking (not required for total time).

Step 2: Simmer the dal base

In a medium pot (3–4 qt), combine the rinsed dal, 3 1/2 cups water, onion, tomato, ginger, green chili, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook until the dal is very soft and starting to break down, 25–30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Instant Pot: Combine dal base with 3 cups (710 ml) water. Pressure cook on High for 8 minutes; allow 10 minutes natural release, then quick release any remaining pressure.

Step 3: Mash to creamy

Use a whisk or the back of a ladle to mash the dal directly in the pot until creamy with a few soft grains left for texture. Adjust thickness with hot water: for a pourable, soup-like dal, aim for 1/2–3/4 cup additional water. Keep the pot on low heat while you make the tadka.

Step 4: Toast cumin and chilies for tadka

In a small skillet or tadka pan, heat the ghee over medium heat until shimmering (about 350°F/175°C if using an infrared thermometer). Add cumin seeds and dried red chilies; swirl and cook until the cumin smells nutty and the chilies deepen in color, about 30 seconds. The seeds should sizzle but not burn.

Step 5: Golden garlic, then bloom spices off-heat

Add the sliced garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, until just turning light golden at the edges, 45–60 seconds. Remove the pan from heat. Immediately stir in the turmeric, Kashmiri chili powder (if using), and a pinch of asafoetida. Let the spices bloom in the residual heat for about 10 seconds; they should foam slightly and release fragrance without darkening.

Step 6: Temper the dal

Quickly pour the sizzling tadka over the hot dal (stand back as it may sputter). Stir well to distribute the spices, then simmer the dal for 1–2 minutes to marry flavors. Taste and adjust salt.

Step 7: Finish and serve

Turn off the heat. Stir in lemon juice and cilantro. The dal should be silky and spoonable; thin with a splash of hot water if needed, as dal thickens as it sits. Spoon over hot basmati rice and serve immediately.

Pro Tips

• Soak for speed: A 15–20 minute soak softens the dal and trims cook time by ~5 minutes.
• Don’t burn turmeric: Always add turmeric off heat; scorched turmeric tastes bitter and dulls color.
• Control heat level: Use Kashmiri chilies/powder for vivid color with gentle heat; swap in hotter chilies if you like it spicy.
• Consistency check: Dal should be pourable, not pasty. Thin with hot water and re-taste salt just before serving.
• Instant Pot shortcut: Pressure cook the dal base (Step 2) as noted, then do the tadka using Sauté mode or on the stovetop and combine.

Variations

• Moong Dal Tadka: Substitute split yellow moong dal for toor. Use 1 cup (200 g) moong dal + 3 cups (710 ml) water. Simmer 18–22 minutes (or IP High 6 minutes, 10-minute natural release). Moong cooks softer and a bit faster.
• Vegan: Use a neutral oil (like sunflower or avocado) instead of ghee. Add a teaspoon of vegan butter at the end for richness if you like.
• No-Onion/No-Garlic: Omit onion and garlic. Increase cumin seeds to 2 teaspoons and add a pinch more hing for savory depth.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Refrigerate cooled dal in an airtight container for up to 4 days. It thickens as it rests; on reheating, stir in hot water until creamy and bring to a brief simmer. Freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently. Make-ahead tip: Cook the dal base up to 2 days in advance. Reheat until hot, then prepare the tadka fresh and pour it over just before serving for best aroma.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate (dal only): 230 calories; 11 g protein; 30 g carbohydrates; 8 g fat; 7 g fiber; 570 mg sodium. Values will vary with salt, oil, and add-ins. Serving with 1 cup cooked basmati rice adds roughly 200 calories and 44 g carbs.