Tadka Dal (Pakistani Daal Recipe)

A steaming bowl of white, soft, pillowy basmati rice drizzled with aromatic, mildly spiced Tadka Dal was what childhood lunches were made of for me, back in the 90's. This easy and frugal meal happened to be me and my brother's favourite and we would often shun more fancy curries and rice dishes only to enjoy this seemingly simple meal.

There's something soothing about the effortless and smooth texture of dal - something that can never quite be outdone by fancier and heavier meat and cream-based dishes.

Till today, this Tadka Dal with white basmati rice is what I turn to after a few too many days of eating foods too rich and oily - when my stomach needs a break from  extravagance, this simple vegetarian meal really hits the spot and I'm very certain all my readers from the South of Asia will agree with me!

Today, I'm sharing my recipe for Tadka Dal the way I remember my Mother making it when me and my brother were small. It was thin, yellow and spiced very lightly, with the flavours of the garlic and onion really shining through. We'd eat it perched on the kitchen shelf, watching my Mother go on with the rest of her kitchen duties.

My Mother always has been and still is a very simple cook and her Dal is really an epitome of how a heavy hand on the spices isn't always the best thing to do. I would never describe myself as a simple cook, but some classics like this one make me take a step back from my spice cabinet and respect the fact that very often, it is in simplicity that we find perfection.

What can you serve with Tadka Dal?

Dal of all kinds are a great thing - they seem to pair well with everything! The question should be, rather, what can you not serve with Tadka Dal?

Rice and chapatti are both great accompaniments to it. Rice seems to be the more popular option in my house. 

Lamb, fish and chicken curries all go well with a side of Dal, although I'm more inclined to favour fish with Dal. Various vegetables are also cooked with Dal, including bottle gourd, pumpkin and spinach. Dal is pretty fine on it's own as well, as a soup!

And don't you worry about the next day because Dal with a paratha and achaar (pickle) the next day will have breakfast sorted for you!

The following curries are what I would recommend you serve alongside Tadka Dal if you are planning on making a side curry:

• Chicken Bhuna
• Prawn Masala
• Bhuna Lamb
• Any sort of fish curry, such as my Pabda Fish
• For a vegetarian option, try my Timatar Aloo ki Bhujia or Achari Aloo

Is there anything Dal can't do? There really is no wonder why it's so loved by the South Asian subcontinent!

Don't forget to serve this alongside a fresh salad! If you can't muster up a salad, even raw onions will suffice.

What's a Tadka? Why is it important?

Tadka is translated to 'tempering' in English - it's the act of infusing oil with flavours through heating and then adding it to the curry. 

The Tadka is where most of the flavour action comes from. The lentils themselves are very mildly spiced - it's the onions, cumins seeds and garlic that add depth and sophistication to this. If you want to change things up, here are some things you can add to the tadka

• For a spicy kick, add some fresh chillis, green or red are fine. For an extra kick, slice them up
• Curry leaves add a beautiful, tangy zing to the Tadka. If you're after a tangy lentil flavour, you can also add tamarind juice to the Dal as it's cooking
• For the sake of beauty, one tip is to add paprika/Kashmiri red chilli powder to the tempering oil for a few moments before pouring over the lentils. This makes the oil turn a red hue which looks very enticing!
• Using ghee instead of oil will impart a rich, buttery, more-ish flavour. Winning!

Some additional Takda Dal tips you may find helpful:

• If you don't plan on eating this immediately, then hold off on the Tadka. The Tadka should be done immediately before serving
• Daal will store beautifully in the freezer for ages. I think it's a great idea to prepare a huge batch of Dal and freeze it before the Tadka stage. When you're ready to eat it, defrost it, heat it up, add the Tadka and serve
• Red onions taste way better in the Tadka - they caramelise way better and add a beautiful sweetness which complements all the flavours really well
• You may find the Dal thickens a lot overnight - this is very normal. To counter this, you can add water and heat over the cooker.

Enjoy, with love x

📋 Recipe

Tadka Dal

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 3

4.52 from 72 votes

Print Rate

Ingredients

0.5x1x2x3x

• ⅓ cup (70 g) moong daal lentils
• ⅔ cup (140 g) red lentils masoor
• salt to taste
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or to taste
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ¼ cup (65 ml) oil
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Instructions

• Wash your lentils well, then add 4-5 cups of water and all the powdered spices. Bring to a boil then cover with the lid slightly ajar and allow to simmer for 45-60 minutes, until the lentils are tender and integrated with the water. Make sure you keep an eye on the lentils to make sure it isn't sticking to the bottom. Add water as needed.
  
• Add a handful of chopped coriander to the top of the daal
  
• To prepare the tadka, in a separate pan heat the oil and add your sliced onion and garlic. Fry till they become golden brown - but not black! During the last 30 seconds, add the cumin seeds
  
• Once the tadka is ready, pour directly over the coriander leaves on the daal.
  
• Tadka Dal is ready! Serve with white basmati rice or chapatti or on it's own - anyway you fancy, really!
  

Notes

I'll be honest with you all and tell you I couldn't help myself and added the coriander powder. My Mother never uses and probably doesn't even own coriander powder! Omit this if you like - it tastes fine without it too.

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