Masoor dal with tadka
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Red lentils cooked soft and finished with a sizzling tempering of ghee, cumin, garlic and chilli. Everyday dal eaten with rice or roti across India.
Region: All of IndiaOccasion: Everyday lunch and dinnerTime: 30 minServes: 4Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup split red lentils (masoor dal)
- 3 cups water
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 2 tbsp ghee or oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 2 dried red chillies
- A pinch of hing
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Method
- Wash the dal two or three times until the water runs clear.
- Cook the dal with water, turmeric, salt and tomato until soft and broken down: about 2 whistles in a pressure cooker or 20 minutes in a covered pot.
- Whisk the dal smooth and add hot water if it is too thick.
- For the tadka, heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin, then garlic, dried chillies and hing, and fry until the garlic turns golden.
- Take the pan off the heat, add chilli powder and pour the tadka over the dal at once.
- Finish with coriander and lemon juice. Serve with rice or roti.
History
Dal, cooked lentils, has been a staple across India for a very long time, and each region has its own favourite lentil and tempering.
Significance
Dal with rice or roti is the everyday meal of most Indian homes and an important source of protein in a vegetarian diet.