Description:
Dal Tadka is a staple dish in several Indian households and generally eaten with pipping hot rice or rotis. Traditionally its made with yellow lentils or combination of lentils and tempered with simple spices. This is the most simplest form of dal fry and is quite easy to prepare. Sometimes simplest dishes like these make a great meal by itself. In my recipe here, I’ve used combination of lentils (Toor And Moong dal) and kicked up a notch by adding some fenugreek leaves to make it much healthier. That’s purely optional and you may skip if you wish.
Dal fry / Methi Dal Fry / Methi Dal Tadka/ Tadka Dhal / Simple Dal Fry / Punjabi Dal / Tarka / Paruppu Sadham / Talimpu / Paruppu Thalippu / Dhal Fry
Ingredients |
|
|---|---|
| 1/2 cup | Split red lentils (Thuvaram / Toor ) |
| 1/2 Cup | Split yellow lentils (Pachai Paruppu / Moong ) |
| 2 tbsp | Onion (minced) |
| 1 tbsp | Tomatoes (Chopped) |
| 1 tsp | Garlic (minced) |
| 1 tsp | Ginger (minced) |
| 2 nos | Green Chillies (Long split open) |
| 1 tbsp | Fenugreek leaves (chopped) Fresh or frozen(optional) |
| 3 stalks | Coriander leaves (chopped) |
| 5 nos | Curry leaves |
| 1 tbsp | Ghee |
| 1/2 tsp | Mustard seeds |
| 1 tsp | Cumin seeds |
| 1/4 tsp | Turmeric powder |
| 1/2 to 3/4 tsp | Red chilli powder (adjust according to your taste) |
| 1 tsp | Salt (or to taste) |
| 1/4 tsp | Asafoetida powder |
| 1/2 cup | Water |
Instruction:
You may use any kind or combination of lentils for this recipe. I’ve used Toor and Moong lentils which needs to soaked for about 20 minutes. Pressure cook upto 2 whistles and keep aside.
Assemble all that you, finely mince onions, garlic and ginger. Split open the green chillies.
Heat up a pan and melt the ghee. Splutter mustard, cumin and curry leaves. Add the asafoetida powder and saute the onions, green chilli, ginger and garlic. Once that turns golden add the chopped tomatoes along with fenugreek leaves, turmeric, red chili powder and salt. Saute for few minutes and switch off.
Add this mixture (Tadka) to the pressure cooked dal.
Mix well and add about 1/2 cup water. Simmer for few minutes and switch. Pressure cooked dal might look thick, so water is added to adjust it to semi-thick consistency.
serving style and combination varies from region to region. Mostly this dal is eaten with rice topped with ghee or with fresh rotis. My favorite combinations are
On a vegetarian day : Pipping hot basmati rice topped with ghee and Potato Varuval on the side
On a non-vegetarian day: Basmati rice topped with ghee and Fish fry / Shrimp fry on the side.
Notes:
Yield: 4 Adult servings.
Comments
8 responses to “Dal Tadka”
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Tried this recipe last week & it was a huge hit. Simple, easy to make & yet delicious. Since i did not have fresh methi leaves I substituted it with kasuri methi and it still tasted good.
Am a fan of your receipes…. so far noted down, egg & meen kozhambu, vathal kozambhu…
The pictures adjacent to the method tempts me to cook it right away !! Thank you for the wonderful receipes & efforts taken…
Geeta
Hi Mullai,
Can we add dry methi leaves for this Dal? would like to prepare for tonight’s dinner.
Thanks,
udvi
Yes,you can but it will taste slightly different, in a good way though!!
Awesonme presentation. Paathavudane saapadanumnu aasaiya iruku….Will do it on the weekend itself..
hi mullai…
am fan of your recipes…
thanks for sharing.. kudos to u