Easy Yellow Dal Tadka - Indian Vegetarian

Step 1: Wash the Dal

Thoroughly wash 1 cup of yellow moong dal in a colander under running water until the water runs clear. This removes any impurities and excess starch.

Step 2: Prepare and Add Ingredients to Pressure Cooker

Transfer the washed dal to a pressure cooker. Roughly chop 2 tomatoes (approximately 100g) and add them to the dal. Season with 1 tsp of salt and 0.5 tsp of turmeric powder. Finally, add 500 ml of water to the cooker.

Step 3: Pressure Cook the Dal

Close the pressure cooker with its lid and place it on a medium flame. Cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the pressure cooker releases 2 whistles. After the whistles, turn off the stove and allow the pressure cooker to cool down naturally before opening the lid.

Step 4: Check and Mash the Dal

Once the pressure cooker has cooled and the pressure has released, open the lid. The dal should be cooked and soft. Stir the dal well. If you prefer a smoother consistency, you can pass some or all of the dal through a sieve or use a traditional Indian twirling tool to mash it. The video demonstrates using a sieve to remove tomato skins and achieve a smoother texture.

Step 5: Prepare the Tadka (Tempering)

Place a small kadai (or a small saucepan/frying pan) on the stove. Add 1 tbsp of ghee and heat it. Once the ghee is hot, add 1 tsp of whole cumin seeds and 0.5 tsp of mustard seeds.

Step 6: Add Aromatics to Tadka

As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, add 1 tbsp of freshly chopped ginger, 1 tbsp of freshly chopped garlic, 1 de-seeded green chili, a few curry leaves, and a pinch of hing (asafoetida). Cook this mixture, stirring continuously, until the curry leaves become crispy and the garlic starts to turn light brown. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 7: Temper the Dal

Immediately remove the hot tadka mixture from the stove and pour it directly into the cooked dal in the pressure cooker. Stir everything together thoroughly to incorporate the flavors of the tempering into the dal.

Step 8: Garnish and Serve

To complete the dish, garnish the Yellow Dal Tadka with fresh coriander. Give it one final good mix. The delicious and aromatic dal is now ready to be served, ideally with rice or Indian bread.

• You can use any other dal or lentils you like for this recipe.

• For a smoother dal, pass it through a sieve or use a traditional Indian twirling tool to mash it after pressure cooking.

• Ensure the mustard seeds pop and garlic starts to brown in the tadka for maximum flavor.

• Adjust the amount of green chili to your spice preference.

• Add chopped onions to the tadka after the mustard and cumin seeds for an extra layer of flavor.