Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka

Serves 1
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Directions

  1. 1Wash the Toor dal and cook it to perfection until soft, either in a pressure cooker or a pan.
  2. 2Add turmeric to the dal while it cooks.
  3. 3Stir the cooked dal until it breaks apart.
  4. 4Dice the onion.
  5. 5Dry fry cumin seeds in a pan with oil.
  6. 6Add diced onions and fry until golden.
  7. 7Add minced garlic, ginger, and chili to the pan and stir.
  8. 8Add chopped tomatoes and salt to the pan and stir.
  9. 9Add garam masala, coriander powder, and Kashmiri chili to the tomato mixture.
  10. 10Add the cooked dal to the pan with the flavor base and mix.
  11. 11Heat a piece of natural charcoal until glowing.
  12. 12Place the glowing charcoal in a small metal bowl inside the dal.
  13. 13Drizzle oil over the charcoal to create smoke and quickly close the lid to infuse the smoky flavor.
  14. 14Remove the charcoal after infusion.
  15. 15Add lemon juice, fenugreek leaves, and fresh coriander to the dal and stir.
  16. 16Prepare the tempering by heating oil and ghee in a small pan.
  17. 17Add cumin seeds, minced garlic, dried chilies, Kashmiri chili powder, and asafoetida to the tempering pan and stir.
  18. 18Serve the dal in a bowl.
  19. 19Pour the tempering over the served dal.
  20. 20Garnish with fresh coriander.

Ingredients

  • Toor dal
  • Turmeric
  • Cumin seeds
  • Onions
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Chili
  • Tomatoes
  • Salt
  • Garam masala
  • Coriander powder
  • Kashmiri chili powder
  • Natural charcoal
  • Oil
  • Lemon juice
  • Fenugreek leaves
  • Coriander
  • Ghee
  • Asafoetida

Equipment

PanPressure cookerColanderCutting boardKnifeSpoonTongsSmall metal bowl

Tips

  • The Dunghar method (smoking the dal with charcoal and oil) is optional but takes the dal to restaurant style.
  • Cook the dal until it is soft enough to break apart when stirred.