Name: Dal Tadka – North Indian Style
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 People
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup Red lentils (Masoor Dal); 2 tablespoons Oil; 1 medium, chopped Red onion; 1 inch piece, grated Ginger; 2 cloves, chopped Garlic; 0.5 teaspoon Turmeric powder; 0.5 teaspoon Coriander powder; 3 cups Water; 0.25 to 0.5 teaspoon Garam Masala; 1.5 tablespoons Lemon juice; 1.75 teaspoons Salt; 2 tablespoons Ghee; 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds; 1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing); 2-3 Dried red chilies; 0.5 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder; cooked Basmati rice; to taste Achaar (Indian pickle); to taste Yogurt; for crunch Pappad or potato chips; for garnish Fresh cilantro

Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow each step to make the recipe successfully.

Prepare Lentils
Rinse 1 cup of red lentils (masoor dal) under cold water until the water runs clear. This helps remove excess starch.
Chop Aromatics
1 medium red onion, peel and grate a 1-inch piece of ginger, and finely chop 2 cloves of garlic.
Sauté Onions
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped red onion and for until translucent. For a deeper flavor, you can brown them slightly longer.
Add Ginger and Garlic
Add the grated ginger and chopped garlic to the pot. for another until fragrant.
Toast Spices
Add 0.5 teaspoon of turmeric powder and 0.5 teaspoon of coriander powder to the pot. Mix well and the spices with the aromatics for about to until fragrant.
Cook Lentils
Add the drained lentils to the pot and stir to combine with the spices. Pour in 3 cups of water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then the heat to a fast . Cook for , stirring occasionally, until the lentils are creamy and tender.
Season Dal
Stir in 0.25 to 0.5 teaspoon of garam masala (to taste), 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1.75 teaspoons of salt (adjust to taste). Mix well.
Prepare Tadka
In a small tadka pan or a small frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee (or oil for a vegan option) over medium-high heat. To test the heat, drop one cumin seed into the oil; if it dances and bubbles, the oil is ready.
Infuse Tadka
Add 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds to the hot ghee. Once they start to sizzle, add a pinch of asafoetida (hing), 2-3 dried red chilies, and 0.5 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder. Stir quickly for about until the spices are fragrant and the chilies are slightly darkened. Be careful not to burn the spices.
Finish Dal
Immediately pour the hot tadka over the cooked dal in the pot or serving bowl. You can spoon a small amount of dal into the tadka pan and then pour it back into the main dal to ensure all the flavorful oil is transferred.
Garnish and Serve
Garnish the Dal Tadka with fresh chopped cilantro. Serve hot with cooked basmati rice, a dollop of yogurt, a spoonful of achaar, and crispy pappad or potato chips on the side.

Before You Cook

Helpful details before you start

Spice LevelFiery

Ginger · Garam masala · Red chili · Kashmiri chili · Chili

Ingredient SubstitutionsMissing something? View suitable alternatives.

View 8 swaps

No Onion?
- 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
- 3 tbsp dried minced onion
- Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Garlic (fresh)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (per clove)
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules (per clove)
No Garam masala?
- 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp coriander + 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp cardamom
No Lemon juice?
- Lime juice (1:1)
- 1/2 the amount white vinegar — In dressings, savory dishes.
No Ghee?
- Unsalted butter (1:1)
- Neutral oil (1:1, lacks the toasted note)
No Asafoetida (hing)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder + 1/4 tsp onion powder
No Yogurt?
- Sour cream (1:1)
- Buttermilk (1:1, slightly thinner result)
No Cilantro?
- Flat-leaf parsley (1:1, milder)
- Fresh mint (in chutneys, salads)

Ingredient Substitutions

No Onion?
- 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
- 3 tbsp dried minced onion
- Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Garlic (fresh)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (per clove)
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules (per clove)
No Garam masala?
- 1 tsp cumin + 1/2 tsp coriander + 1/4 tsp cinnamon + 1/4 tsp cardamom
No Lemon juice?
- Lime juice (1:1)
- 1/2 the amount white vinegar — In dressings, savory dishes.
No Ghee?
- Unsalted butter (1:1)
- Neutral oil (1:1, lacks the toasted note)
No Asafoetida (hing)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder + 1/4 tsp onion powder
No Yogurt?
- Sour cream (1:1)
- Buttermilk (1:1, slightly thinner result)
No Cilantro?
- Flat-leaf parsley (1:1, milder)
- Fresh mint (in chutneys, salads)

AllergensThis recipe contains dairy.

Dairy

Variations

Simple ways to adapt this recipe.

Use whole masoor lentils insteadIngredient swap
Use whole masoor lentils instead of split masoor for a different texture.
Use a pressure cooker toPreparation tip
Use a pressure cooker to cook the lentils faster for a creamier consistency.
For a vegan versionDietary option
Use a mild-flavored, high-heat oil instead of ghee for the tadka.
Experiment with different aromatics like
Experiment with different aromatics like spring onions or leeks in the base.

Helpful Tips

Small details that can improve the final result.

Flavour tipBrown Onions Slightly Longer for a Deeper Flavor
TipRinse Lentils Until the Water
Rinse lentils until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
Cooking tipAdjust the Consistency of the
Adjust the consistency of the dal by adding more water if too thick, or simmering longer if too watery.
Flavour tipEating Indian Food with Your
Eating Indian food with your hands can enhance the flavor experience as it helps meld the ingredients.

Dal Tadka – North Indian Style

50 mins

Indian · North Indian

15 min

35 min

4 People

~450 kcal

Main Dal

For Tadka

For Serving (Optional)

Prepare Lentils

Chop Aromatics

Sauté Onions

Add Ginger and Garlic

Toast Spices

Cook Lentils

Season Dal

Prepare Tadka

Infuse Tadka

Finish Dal

Garnish and Serve

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