If you’re craving the Restaurant-style Dal Tadka of Indian cuisine, loaded with ghee and spices this recipe is for you. By following this amazing recipe, you can make Dal that has a smokey flavor which makes it all the more special!

The recipe will take prep time 15 minutes and cooking time 30 minutes, so in total 45 minutes. This week CafeOn brings you the recipe of Dal Tadka.

Ingredients

• Toor dal, 1 cup – 200 grams (arhar dal/split pigeon peas lentil)
• Turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, 1.5 tsp
• Water, 3.5 cups water 
• Garlic cloves, 4
• Ginger, 1-inch 
• Green chili, 1
• Ghee, 1.5 tbsp – 22 ml
• Cumin seeds, 1 tsp 
• Coriander seeds, 1 tbsp (crushed)
• Cloves, 2
• Red onion, 150 grams (chopped)
• Tomatoes, 2 (chopped)
• Coriander powder, 1/2 tsp 
• Garam masala, 1/4 tsp 
• Kashmiri red chili powder, 1/4 tsp
• Red chili powder, 1/8 tsp
• Cilantro, 2 tbsp (chopped)
• Kasuri Methi, 1 tsp – crushed (dried fenugreek leaves)

Tadka

• Ghee – 10 ml, 2 tbsp 
• Garlic cloves, 2 (chopped)
• Hing, 1/4 tsp (asafoetida)
• Red chilies, 2
• Kashmiri Red chili powder, 1/4 tsp
• Charcoal & melted ghee, for dhungar method (optional)

Method 

• Add Toor dal along with turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, and 3 cups water in a pressure cooker
• Cook for 4 whistles on high heat then lower the heat and let it cook for another 3 to 4 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Set it aside.
• Meanwhile crush 4 large garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger, and green chili in a mortar pestle and set it aside.
• Add ghee on medium heat in a heavy bottom pan then once hot, add the cumin seeds, crushed coriander seeds, and cloves and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
• Now add onions, cook for around 3 to 4 minutes until they are soft, and start changing color.
• Add the crushed garlic-ginger-green chili. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
• Add the chopped tomatoes along with 1/2 teaspoon salt and mix. Cover and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until tomatoes are very soft and cooked.
• After that add the coriander powder, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, red chili powder, cilantro, and Kasuri methi altogether. Stir the spices with the masala for 30 seconds.
• Add the boiled dal to the pan and mix. If needed add 1/2 cup water to reduce the thickness. Let the dal simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.

For the Tadka

• Heat 2 teaspoons ghee in a small pan. When the ghee is hot and melted add 2 chopped garlic cloves. Also, add Hing and dried red chilies with it.
• Cook for one minute until the garlic starts changing color. Add Kashmiri red chili powder removes the pan from heat.
• Pour the tempering over the dal and mix. 

For the Dhungar (optional)

• Place a steel bowl on top of a trivet placed inside the dal. Then heat a piece of charcoal over direct heat until it’s red hot.
• Place hot charcoal in that steel bowl on top of the trivet. Pour melted ghee 1 tbs on top of the charcoal. 
• Immediately close the pan with a lid. Let it remain like this for 5 to 10 minutes.
• When see fumes coming out of charcoal let it be for 5 to 10 minutes, then remove the lid and remove the bowl from dal.
• The longer you keep the lid closed, the smokier dal will get, so don’t do more than 10 minutes.
• Garnish Dal Tadka with more cilantro, now serve and enjoy!

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