Dal Tadka Recipe - How to make restaurant style Dal Tadka
Dal Tadka is one of the most wanted dishes served in restaurants along with the Paneer in North India. Whenever we go out for dinner, we always prefer to have Dal Tadka. My personal favorite is Dal Tadka with Jeera Rice. It is so soothing and a perfect comfort food. I prepare this Dal most of the times at home.
Just a simple Dal and rice can be so comforting. Dal tadka can be prepared with many Dal(lentils). I have used toor (tuvar) dal only for this post whereas you can also use masoor dal(split red lentils) and Moong Dal to make your Dal Tadka.
Various variety of lentils can be used to prepare this like Red gram dal, Green gram dal, Bengal gram dal or Black gram dal. I also frequently prepare masoor dal with a mix of Moong dal and do the tempering to it at the end just before serving only thing to remember while cooking this combo is that it takes very less pressure cooking time (after one whistle on medium flame is lower the flame and just cook for only 4 mins approx. and switch off the flame). This combination also is loved at my home.
Preparing Dal Tadka is easy and not too complicated. I don’t not add too many dry spices to my regular cooking however if you wish you can use clove, bay leaf and cinnamon for your tadka. I love to add the Tadka at the end as it enhances the flavors in the Dal. Tadka or Tempering or Baghar or Chaunk as it is referred is a seasoning which is done once the Dal is cooked . Ghee or vegetable oil is added along with spices and some herbs just before serving. Doing this makes it more delicious and enriches the flavors.
Ingredients
- For cooking the Dal in the Pressure Cooker -
- • Toor Dal (Tuvar Dal) – 1 bowl (medium size)
- • Water – 3 1/2 bowls ( same bowl in which Dal was measured)
- • Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
- • Salt as per taste and a pinch of Hing (Asafetida)
- For the Tadka –
- • Tomatoes – 3 medium size, finely chopped
- • Ginger Garlic Paste – ½ teaspoon
- • Cumin Seeds – ½ teaspoons
- • Coriander Powder – 1 teaspoon
- • Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon ( or as per taste )
- • Garam Masala – ¼ teaspoon
- • Amchur (Dry Mango Powder) – ½ teaspoon
- • Coriander Leaves for garnishing ( finely chopped )
- • Green Chillies – 2 -3 slit into half
- • Ghee – 2 -3 teaspoons
Instructions
- Clean the dal and wash it thoroughly under running water.
- In a pressure cooker, add the washed dal, water, 1 tsp of ghee, turmeric powder and hing.
- After one whistle lower the flame from medium to low and allow it to cook. The pressure will release approx. 3 -4 times. It takes about 20 mins in my pressure cooker for the dal to cook on low flame. You can adjust the timing according to your pressure cooker. If unsure then switch off the flame after 15 mins for this Dal and allow to cool.
- Ensure that the dal and water is well cooked and are not separate yet. If you feel the dal is yet to be combined well with water then cook for another 5 -7 mins on low flame with open lid.
- Once the dal is cooked now we need to make the tadka.
- For the tadka take a small wok or pan and add ghee.
- Once the ghee is hot now add in cumin seeds, when the seeds seem to flutter throw in the ginger garlic paste and stir for few seconds.
- Add in tomatoes to the pan and green chilies and stir well. Allow the tomatoes to cook nicely on low flame for 4 mins.
- Add in now all the dry spices and mix well.
- Now transfer this TADKA to the cooked dal and stir gently.
- You can add in a very little lemon juice if you prefer to have your dal little tangy and garnish it with coriander leaves just before serving.
- Serve hot with chapatti, paratha or even jeera rice.
Enjoy and Happy Cooking!
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
hey anamika
the dal tadka looks awesome. like always ur presentation is amazing. good to see your post after a long time n look forward to more delicious recipes
kala
thank you so much Kala
, yes I need to be more frequent in posting now…will be back soon with some new posts 
!
Nice recipe with beautiful restaurant style presentation
thank you Sandhya
!
Very nice.. Love the pics..
Even I clicked the Dal Tadka pics for my blog in the same kind of bucket
thank you Spandana
! I love this bucket and the other utensils I have of similar kinds, they look really nice. Will check your dal tadka post now, just curious to see your bucket and dal recipe 
.
nice pics anamika. dal tadka is a fav always.
thank you Dassana, its loved at my place too
!