Amazing Indian Dal Recipe
Recipe Summary
- This recipe guides you through making a flavorful Indian dal, starting with a fragrant tempering of garlic, curry leaves, and spices. Soaked orange lentils are then cooked until tender, resulting in a comforting and delicious dish.
All Ingredients - For Tempering (Tarka)
- Ghee 2 tbsp
- Mustard seeds 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds 1 tsp
- Garlic (coarsely chopped) 1 head
- Fresh curry leaves 1/4 cup
- Dried red chilies 5-6
All Ingredients - Spices and Lentils
- Turmeric powder 1 tsp
- Coriander powder 1 tbsp
- Salt 1 tsp (or to taste)
- Kashmiri chili powder 1 tsp
- Orange lentils (soaked overnight) 1 cup
- Hot water 3 cups
All Ingredients - Finishing
- Tamarind paste 1 tbsp
Tools You'll Need
- Pot
Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps
No Ghee?
- Unsalted butter (1:1)
- Neutral oil (1:1, lacks the toasted note)
No Garlic (fresh)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (per clove)
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules (per clove)
No Curry leaves?
- 1 bay leaf + a pinch of lemon zest — Aroma only — flavor is unique.
No Tamarind paste?
- 1 tbsp lime juice + 1 tbsp brown sugar (per 1 tbsp paste)
- Pomegranate molasses (1:1)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Heat Ghee
Place a pot on the stove and heat some ghee.
Step 2: Add Whole Spices
Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the hot ghee and let them crackle for a moment to season the oil.
Step 3: Roast Garlic
Add coarsely chopped garlic to the pot. Roast the garlic on a nice slow and low flame until it develops a little color.
Step 4: Add Curry Leaves
Add fresh curry leaves to the pot.
Step 5: Add Dried Chilies
Add dried red chilies to the pot.
Step 6: Sauté Tempering
Stir all the ingredients together and continue to cook for a couple more minutes until the garlic starts to roast slightly.
Step 7: Add Ground Spices
Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and Kashmiri chili powder to the pot.
Step 8: Roast Spices
Stir the ground spices into the mixture and roast for .
Step 9: Add Lentils
Add the orange lentils, which have been soaked overnight, to the pot.
Step 10: Add Water
Pour hot water into the pot with the lentils and spices.
Step 11: Boil Lentils
Stir well and bring the dal to a boil. Continue to boil until the lentils start to disintegrate and absorb all the water.
Step 12: Cook Until Tender
Cook the dal for approximately until all the water is absorbed and the lentils are soft and tender.
Step 13: Adjust Seasoning
Remove the pot from the heat, stir thoroughly, and check the salt level. Add more salt if needed.
Step 14: Add Tamarind Paste
Add tamarind paste to the dal and stir it in really well. It does not need further cooking.
Step 15: Serve
Serve the amazing dal hot.
Pro Tips
• Always use fresh curry leaves for the best flavor; dried curry leaves offer no flavor.
• Soaking lentils overnight helps achieve a super soft texture.
• The froth that appears when dal boils is harmless protein and doesn't need to be skimmed off.
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