There are few dishes as comforting as a bowl of hot dal tadka served with steamed rice, jeera rice or fresh rotis. The combination of creamy lentils, aromatic spices, golden garlic and ghee makes it a staple of Indian home cooking, but with the right tempering, it can taste just as satisfying as something served at a restaurant. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s dal tadka is a simple yet flavourful version that uses everyday ingredients and gets its character from a fragrant ghee tadka. The recipe is featured on his YouTube channel, Sanjeev Kapoor Khazana, and uses dhuli toor dal as its base.
Prepare a Comforting Dal Tadka
To create dal tadka, gather the following ingredients: 1 cup of dhuli toor dal (split skinless pigeon pea), which should be soaked for 20 minutes and then drained. You will also need salt to taste, ½ teaspoon of hing (asafoetida), ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons of ghee (clarified butter), 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic, 1 medium chopped onion, and 1 small chopped tomato. Additionally, include ½ teaspoon of red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon of cumin powder, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, a pinch of garam masala, and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh coriander, along with some extra coriander for garnishing.
Once the dal is cooked, transfer it to a serving bowl. Pour the prepared tadka over the dal and finish with a garnish of freshly chopped coriander. Serve the dal tadka hot alongside steamed rice, jeera rice, roti, or naan for a satisfying and comforting meal, reminiscent of dining out at a restaurant.
