I’m so excited to share my favorite version of the most classic Indian dish ever: Dal Tadka!
Like many Indian and Indian diaspora kids, I grew up eating dal nearly every day, which means I’ve eaten this dish literally thousands of times. In other words, this is real deal Indian food courtesy of my mother’s kitchen.
There are thousands of kinds of dal (seriously), but this version features the things I love the most about dal: it’s creamy and not soupy, features layers of spices, and it’s drizzled with tadka, AKA a fragrant spiced oil that makes everything 10x better.
Plus, it’s budget-friendly, weeknight-friendly, and allergen-friendly (no dairy/gluten/soy/nuts!).
So if you’re into indulgent comfort food secretly wholesome, you’re going to love this big ol’ hug in a bowl.
P.S. If you have my first cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, check out the Instant Pot recipe for Dal Tadka in Chapter 3.
In this post:
🎥 Watch! How to make this recipe
With over 660K views and 20K likes on my YouTube channel, this dal tadka is a huge hit with my community! Stay for an absolutely iconic cameo by my parents.
What is Dal Tadka?
Dal is the Hindi word for lentil. In India, dal also refers to the dish as a whole—a deeply-spiced, aromatic lentil stew, of which there are countless regional variations and even more variations across each family.
Tadka translates to the tempered oil where whole spices, herbs, and/or aromatics are briefly toasted in a hot fat source to bring out their essential oils and boldest flavors. It takes this dish from good to glorious so DO NOT SKIP IT (sorry for yelling, but I insist upon this point).
If we put the two together, Dal Tadka is a lentil stew finished with a spiced, tempered oil poured on top just before serving, which enhances both the flavor and texture of this comforting, nourishing Indian staple.
Ingredient notes
Here I’m highlighting a few of the key ingredients for this recipe. For a complete list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post to find the recipe card.
Split yellow lentils
I use split yellow lentils here, AKA moong dal, but you can make dal with lots of varieties of split lentils or peas—check out the second FAQ for more information on lentil/pea options that work well in this recipe!
Tips for buying and substitutes: South Asian grocery stores carry every variety of split lentil or pea your heart could desire, but you can also find moog dal online; masoor Dal (AKA split red lentils) would be the closest sub. If your local grocery store doesn’t carry either, you can use regular red lentils (but they will take a bit longer to cook since they’re whole, not split).
The Indian Holy Quaternity
Like so many of the Indian or Indian-inspired recipes I’ve shared (Chickpea Curry, Red Lentil Curry, Dal Palak), this one starts with what I consider the quintessential foursome in Indian cooking: onions, garlic, ginger, and green chiles (serrano pepper, in this case).
They lay the flavor foundation for this dish (and, as they sauté, instantly make your kitchen smell amazing).
Tadka spices
My version calls for black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and optionally, dried red chili pepper and asafoetida (AKA hing).
I think the curry leaves and mustard seeds add the most flavor, so I wouldn’t skip those if you have an Indian grocery store in your area. But since every tadka is different, don’t fret about not having every spice—check out the Tips section below for a whole host of substitution ideas!
Tips for buying and substitutes: If you don’t have access to fresh curry leaves, you can order dried curry leaves online. Use double the amount since they are less potent.
Asafoetida punches up the umami and makes dal taste distinctly Indian, but it is very pungent so use just a pinch or two (be sure to store it very well sealed or your pantry will end up smelling funky!). Many brands contain wheat, so omit if gluten-free (or seek out a GF variety of asafoetida).
Step-by-step instructions
- Sift through the lentils and remove any pebbles. Soak the lentils in cold water for 15 minutes and then drain them.
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat with the oil. Sauté the onions until starting to turn golden. Add the garlic, ginger and serrano pepper, and sauté for 60-90 seconds.
- Add the ground spices and stir almost constantly for 30 seconds.
- Pour in 2 cups of water to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits, then add the soaked and drained lentils.
- Bring the dal to a boil, then partially cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer.
- Simmer for 30 minutes, or until lentils are fully cooked.
- Add the tomatoes, stir, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes, until tomatoes are broken down (fresh tomatoes need more time).
- Tip: for a creamier texture, run an immersion blender through some (but not all) of the dal.
- Before serving, make the tadka. Heat the oil in your smallest pan.
Add the mustard seeds and swirl the pan frequently until they pop; add cumin seeds and until a bit darker.
Add the asafoetida, then curry leaves and dried peppers briefly.
- Immediately pour the tadka on top of the dal and garnish with cilantro.
Beginner’s guide to making tadka
Making a tadka for the first (or fifth) time can feel intimidating. But the truth is, it’s actually not that hard, if you familiarize yourself with the right techniques.
Tools for making tadka
To make a tadka, use a very small saucepan such as a tadka pan. If you don’t have that, use the smallest saucepan you have such as a butter warmer, or your smallest skillet (we had to use a skillet for photography purposes and it works fine).
When cooking Indian food, an Indian spice tin (AKA a masala dabba) is very handy, though not required. Since spices cook quickly, it’s convenient to have all the spices in shallow, uncovered tins rather than individual deep spice jars.
Tadka Method 101
- First, heat up a few spoons of oil in your small pan (sometimes ghee is used, but I use oil to keep it vegan) until very hot.
- NOTE: You can use any neutral oil (I wouldn’t recommend olive oil), but I typically like to use virgin coconut oil for more flavor.
- To test if the oil is hot enough, add one or two mustard seeds. If they sizzle immediately or nearly immediately, it’s hot enough.
- Add the whole spices in the order listed and swirl the pan frequently. Cook until they sizzle and/or turn a few shades darker.
- If the recipe calls for any sliced or minced aromatics, you’d typically add them after the whole spices.
- After the whole spices (and any aromatics, if using), add the asafoetida, if using.
- Things that burn easily—dried red chilies, fresh garlic, ground spices, and curry leaves—get added at the end.
- No matter what you’re adding, you want to be swirling the pan frequently to prevent burning.
- Take the tadka off the heat immediately to prevent them burning, then pour it right on top of your cooked dal.
Tadka ingredient substitutions
My version contains black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and optionally dried red chili peppers and asafoetida, but if you don’t have all the spices in this recipe, fret not!
Here are some substitution options:
- Replace mustard seeds with roughly crushed coriander seeds for a different flavor; add them with the cumin seeds.
- A whole cinnamon stick, broken into pieces: add after the mustard seeds / along with cumin seeds.
- Add minced or thin matchsticks of ginger after the whole seed spices.
- Add thinly sliced garlic cloves or shallots after the whole seed spices.
- Green cardamom pods: crack the pods lightly; add after the mustard seeds / along with cumin seeds.
- A few pinches of ground spices, such as cumin or coriander: add at the end for just 10 to 30 seconds.
Frequently Asked Questions
In most Indian families and restaurants, dal is served with either basmati rice or some sort of simple flatbread, like roti or chapati. And speaking of flatbreads, if you have a little extra time, this dal is next level when paired with my homemade Vegan Naan.
Topping-wise, I like to add a little coconut yogurt and thinly sliced red onion. If you don’t have vegan yogurt but still want something cooling, try a little diced avocado (non-traditional but very good)!
The short answer? No, you’ve got lots of options—though the cook time will vary depending on the type of lentil you choose, so keep an eye on the dal as it cooks.
Any of the split lentil or split pea varieties listed below should work in this recipe!
You can find all these varieties and more at South Asian grocery stores, but I’ve also linked options for buying each of these online.
• Moong Dal (AKA yellow split lentils—what I use in this recipe)
• Masoor Dal (AKA split red lentils)
• Toor Dal (AKA yellow split pigeon peas—this is what my mom most often used when she made dal for me as a kid, but it takes longer to cook)
• Chana Dal (AKA split chickpeas—these will take the longest to cook)
If you cannot find any of the split options above, use regular red lentils like this, but they’ll take a few minutes longer to cook.
For the best flavor and storage results, I recommend serving the dal separately (from the tadka) and making the tadka fresh.
So, if you’re planning to only eat a portion of the dal the day you cook it, portion the dal in your bowl(s) and then pour the tadka on top of that portion(s). You may not need to use all of the tadka.
When heating up leftovers, make another batch of tadka (it should take just a few minutes), then pour it over the warmed up dal.
If you accidentally pour all of the tadka on top of the entire portion of dal, no worries—you can still store it this way, but I wouldn’t recommend freezing it.
You can store dal in the fridge in a covered container for up to five days. It will thicken as it rests, but should loosen as it reheats. If it’s too thick, add a splash of water during reheating.
Yes, dal freezes well for up to 6 months; however, you will get the best results if you store the dal plain (i.e., don’t pour the tadka on top of the portion of dal you wish to freeze).
I hope this Dal Tadka brings you comfort, nourishment, and satisfaction like it does for me (and has for decades!!). If you enjoyed it, let me know by leaving a rating and review below. I so appreciate your comments! 💜
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Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka
Ingredients
Dal
- 1 cup (200g) split yellow lentils, aka “moong dal” (see Note 1)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (or neutral oil of choice)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 inch (2.5cm) piece fresh ginger, grated or minced (about 1 TBSP)
- 1 serrano pepper, finely chopped (remove membranes for less heat) (see Note 2)
- 1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 ½ to 3 ½ cups (600 to 840 mL) filtered water (see Note 3)
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 (14.5-ounce / 410g) can crushed or diced tomatoes (see Note 4)
- 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped
Tadka
- 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil (or neutral oil of choice)
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds (or brown)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 or 2 pinches asafoetida (optional)
- ~10 fresh curry leaves (or ~ 20 dried curry leaves)
- 1 to 2 dried red chile peppers (optional)
For serving
- Cooked basmati rice or flatbread, to serve 4
- Coconut yogurt for dolloping (optional)
- Thinly sliced red onions (optional)
Instructions
- Sift through the lentils and remove any pebbles. Soak the lentils in cold water for 15 minutes and then drain them.
- Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat (for nonstick pans, you can use 1 tbsp oil; for other pans, you’ll need a bit more). Once the oil is shimmering, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened and starting to turn golden brown on the edges.NOTE: For extra flavor, cook until onions are nicely browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and serrano pepper. Stir frequently for 60 to 90 seconds, or until garlic is lightly browned and the mixture is very fragrant. Add the curry powder, garam masala, coriander, and turmeric and stir to coat into the onions, stirring almost constantly for about 30 seconds. If things stick, add a splash of water to scrape up any browned bits.
- Pour in the water (I use about 2 cups / 480 mL at this stage) along with the soaked and drained lentils, 1 teaspoon kosher salt (use ~ half for sea salt/table salt), and black pepper to taste. Stir to combine.
- Bring the dal to a boil. Then lower the heat and partially cover the pan with a lid (if your lid has a small hole on top to allow steam to escape, you can fully cover the pan). Simmer the dal for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are fully cooked through, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed to add adequate moisture/liquid to the dal.NOTE: Depending on your lentil variety, the cook time might vary from 25 to 35 minutes.
- Step 6. Add the tomatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have broken down and have basically blended into the dal. If using fresh tomatoes, they'll need more time unless you’ve pureed them.NOTE: If you want the dal to be thicker, run an immersion blender through some of the dal, but keep some lentils whole. It will also thicken more upon resting.Finally, stir in the chopped cilantro. Taste, adding more salt as needed.
- When the dal is done, make the tadka.Heat a tadka pan or your smallest saucepan (or skillet) over medium heat with the coconut oil.Wait until it’s very hot. To test whether it's hot enough, add one or two mustard seeds. If it sizzles immediately or nearly immediately, it's ready.Add the mustard seeds and swirl the pan frequently.Once they start popping, add the cumin seeds for a few seconds, or until just a few shades darker, continuing to swirl the pan.If using, add the asafoetida for a few seconds, followed by the curry leaves and dried chile peppers, if using.Keep stirring or swirling the pan to prevent burning, 15 to 30 more seconds, or until very aromatic and the curry leaves have shriveled a bit but not browned and the chili peppers and cumin seeds have turned darker but not burnt.Remove from the heat immediately and pour on top of the cooked dal.
- Taste the dal tadka for seasonings, adding more salt as desired. If desired, garnish with additional fresh cilantro. Serve with cooked rice or flatbread on the side and, if desired, dollop with yogurt and garnish with a few red onion slices.
Video
Notes
- You can also use split red lentils (AKA Masoor dal). If using regular red lentils, they will need a bit longer to cook. For more lentil variations, see the 2nd FAQ.
- For very mild heat, use a jalapeño instead and remove the membranes from inside.
- I prefer my dal creamy and thick, so I start with 2 cups (480 mL) water and gradually add more water throughout the cooking process—about ¾ to 1 extra cup of water (180 to 240 mL). If you want a soupier dal, start with more than 3 or 3 ½ cups (720 to 840 mL) of water, adding more as needed later.
- If using fresh tomatoes, use about 1 ½ cups (300g) finely diced fresh tomatoes. For the best texture, purée the tomatoes in a food processor first. If it’s not tomato season, I recommend using canned tomatoes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Love this? Leave a rating below!
I’m always on the hunt for delicious and nutritious recipes for my family that are easy to make in big batches and freezer-friendly. This one ticks all boxes! Thank you so much, I love it <3
Hi Lily Grace, we’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!
So so happy to finally find a proper way of spice use , i love it !! And ‘veganized’ (oil instead of ghee) which is a great bonus for me to see, that it does also work. Really love your recipe and your very detailed instructions !
What would you recommend to do with the Tadka if you want to make this dish ahead of time, for batch cooking. I was guessing maybe to add the fat + mustard + cumin + chilli already to the dal, so the flavours get nicely infused. But to keep the crunchy curry leaves separate in a closed container (to hopefully keep the crunch) and add them at the last moment while reheating the dal ? Any ideas, or suggestions ? Thanks, Much appreciated, Nicole
Hi Nicole, we appreciate the lovely words and all of the support!
You can definitely try out your method and see if that keeps the curry leaves crisp. I haven’t tried that myself, but in general what I’ve learned is that a dish will always taste best when the tadka is made fresh and poured over the dish just before serving.
You could measure out the individual spices and oil for the tadka in advance and then make the tadka when you’re ready to serve the warm dal, pouring it on top just before serving. Cooking the tadka once the spices are prepped will take just 2 to 4 minutes.
OMG this was incredible!! WOW. This video showed up on my feed, and it just looked so good. It absolutely matched the hype! The flavors are insane, and the tadka was really something else.
For the tadka, I didn’t have whole red dried peppers, so I used crushed. And the coconut oil I had was unrefined, but I don’t think it really changed anything, except maybe needing to stir more frequently because of the lower smoking point and that it gave a slightly more coconut-y taste, which I definitely did not mind. Definitely agree that the mustard seeds and the curry leaves are non-negotiable!
This was a great way to expand my culinary horizons (I’d never bought moong dal or curry leaves before), and it was the perfect anecdote to the post-Christmas overindulgance sluggishness lol. Definitely plan to add this to my rotation! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!
Thank you so much for this note, Kate! Also I agree, mustard seeds and curry leaves really make the dish, I’m glad you didn’t skip them. So happy it helped expand your horizons, and that it’s going into the regular rotation. 🙂
I’d like to make Dal tadka a couple of days in advance and put in freezer…will this work or not?,
Hi Liz, Dal freezes pretty well and you can freeze it for 3 to 6 months. Let the leftovers thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stove. We would recommend you make a fresh batch of tadka before serving, though.
It’s so delicious and ticks so many boxes that I wish I didn’t try it sooner. But I used toor dal and it took so long to break down. How long do you cook toor dal?