Description
Tarka dhal is a comforting and nourishing Indian lentil dish made with toor dal simmered with garlic, ginger, and tomato, then tempered with fragrant spices like cumin seeds, dried red chillies, and kashmiri chilli powder in ghee. Served with roti or jeera pulao, this dish offers a balanced blend of mild heat and aromatic flavors perfect for a wholesome meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 250g toor dal
- 1 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ½cm piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 tomato (about 80g), roughly chopped
- Salt, to taste
Tarka (Tempering)
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 mild dried red chillies
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 60g onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
To Serve
- Roti or jeera pulao
Instructions
- Cook the Dal: Tip the toor dal, asafoetida, turmeric, roughly chopped garlic and ginger, tomato, and 1 litre of water into a large saucepan. Season to taste with salt and bring to the boil over high heat.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and let the dal simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring often to prevent sticking. Once cooked, cover and turn off the heat, allowing it to cool slightly.
- Break Down the Dal: Use a potato masher or hand blender to gently break down the dal mixture, leaving it slightly chunky rather than completely smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the Tarka (Tempering): In a medium saucepan, melt the ghee over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and dried red chillies. As they begin to sizzle, add finely chopped garlic and ginger and fry for a few seconds.
- Sauté Onions: Add the finely chopped onions and continue frying for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent. Stir well to combine.
- Add Kashmiri Chilli Powder: Sprinkle in the kashmiri chilli powder, stirring to coat the onion mixture evenly.
- Combine Dal and Tarka: Transfer half the prepared tarka to a small bowl for garnishing. Add the cooked dal to the remaining tarka in the saucepan, along with 100ml of water. Simmer over low heat for 2 minutes to meld flavors.
- Finish and Serve: Turn off the heat. Garnish the dal with the reserved tarka and finely chopped coriander. Serve hot accompanied by roti or jeera pulao.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use fresh ghee made from butter rather than store-bought ghee.
- Adjust the quantity of kashmiri chilli powder to suit your spice tolerance; it imparts mild heat and vibrant color.
- Stir often during simmering to prevent the dal from sticking to the pan and burning.
- This dhal keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days and tastes great reheated.
- Adding a squeeze of fresh lemon juice before serving can enhance the flavors with a zesty brightness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 250g)
- Calories: 340
- Sugar: 3.2 g
- Sodium: 0.2 mg
- Fat: 13.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5.8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2.5 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
