Dal Tadka is a creamy Indian lentil dish made with lentils, tomatoes, and spices. This easier recipe uses everyday ingredients!
If you’ve had the pleasure of having Dal Tadka in an Indian restaurant, it is hard to forget. It is rich, ultra creamy, and packed with more flavor than you could imagine. It’s savory, a but spicy, and perfectly smoky.
This easier version uses ingredients you can find in your local grocery store and simple methods that won’t keep you in the kitchen all day.
Reasons to love this recipe!
- A much easier take on this Indian restaurant classic!
- With more accessible spices – most of which you probably have in your cupboard right now.
- It’s vegetarian and gluten free with easy vegan adaptions.
What is Dal Tadka?
Dal Tadka is a delicious Indian lentil dish commonly served in Indian restaurants. Lentils are cooked down until they are creamy and delicious, then infused with traditional Indian spices, tomatoes, and topped with a flavorful tempering oil.
Tempering oil is the technical term for any Indian-style oil that has been cooked with spices. It’s basically a very flavorful and delicious oil that can be used to top a variety of dishes, giving them a flavor boost and a bit of texture from the crunchy fried spices!
Components of Dal Tadka:
Some Dal Tadka recipes are very intensive and have 4-6 different components. This simplified recipe has just three easy components and does not sacrifice flavor!
Lentils: Lentils are cooked down with aromatics until tender. Instead of cooking them in a pressure cooker until they break down, which can take a long time, they are cooked until tender and then pureed until they are silky smooth.
Tempering oil: Everyday spices are cooked in oil until they are crunchy and the oil is infused with flavor. We use this oil to top our dal and add big flavor.
Smoke: Dal tadka is traditionally smoked by adding a piece of hot charcoal into a small bowl which sits in the stew and adds smoked flavor. To get that delicious smoky flavor without this extensive process, we add some smoked paprika to the dal.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
This ingredient list may look long, but trust me this is a simplified version! To make it clear which ingredients are used for which components, some are listed twice, so it’s shorter than it looks ;)
For the dal (aka the lentils):
- Split red lentils – found in your typical grocery store.
- Split pigeon peas – or more red lentils
- Coconut Oil – or something neutral like avocado oil or grapeseed oil work well. You could also use ghee.
- Jalapeno – with one jalapeno the dish very mild. Use a hotter pepper if you like it spicy!
- Onion – yellow or white.
- Tomatoes – any shape, color, or size. Choose whatever looks best.
- Ginger – use fresh.
- Garlic – same here, use fresh cloves.
- Ground turmeric – not fresh, dried.
- Garam masala – a traditional and readily available Indian spice blend.
- Asafoetida – strictly optional, but it does give it a beautiful authentic flavor!
- Salt
- Water
- Butter – adds richness! Use vegan or regular butter.
For the tempering oil (aka the flavorful infused oil to garnish the dal):
- Coconut Oil – or something neutral like avocado oil or grapeseed oil work well. You could also use ghee.
- Cumin seeds – whole, not ground.
- Dried red chilis – totally optional. They’re more for looks than flavor. If you do purchase some, you can also use them in this General Tso’s Tofu recipe.
- Asafoetida – strictly optional, but if you have some, add it to the tempering oil too!
- Fenugreek leaves – optional, but delicious.
- Indian chili powder – also called Kashmiri chili powder, it is more spicy and less fragrant than Mexican chili powder. You can substitute with cayenne.
How to make Dal Tadka:
Soak the lentil: Add the lentils and pigeon peas, if using, to a large bowl and cover generously with hot water. Soak for 30 minutes, drain, and discard soaking water.
Cook the aromatics: In a dutch oven or pot, cook the onion and jalapeno in coconut oil until softened. Add in the tomatoes and cook until they soften and become juicy. Stir in the garlic, ginger, spices and salt.
Simmer: Add the drained lentils to the pot along with fresh water. Boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until tender.
Blend: Using an immersion blender, or regular blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Some small flecks are fine.
Make the tempering oil: Add the spices to hot coconut oil and cook until fragrant and the seeds are toasted. Remove from heat and drizzle over the dal.
Leftovers?
Store the dal and tempering oil separately. Place the dal in a lidded container and store in the fridge for 3-5 days. Place the tempering oil in a small jar and store at room temperature.
For longer storage, freeze the dal and tempering oil separately for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
What to serve with Dal Tadka:
Dal Tadka is delicious served with warm naan, or basmati rice. It is also great as a side to other curries.
More warming recipes!
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Easy Dal Tadka
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Entree
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Indian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Dal Tadka is a creamy Indian lentil dish made with lentils, tomatoes, and spices. This easier recipe uses everyday ingredients!
Ingredients
For the dal (aka the lentils):
- ½ cup split red lentils
- ½ cup split pigeon peas – or more red lentils
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 jalapeno, diced
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- Pinch asafoetida, optional
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½–4 ½ cups water
- 2 tablespoons butter, vegan or regular
For the tempering oil (aka the flavorful infused oil to garnish the dal):
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 3–5 Dried red chilis, optional
- Pinch asafoetida – strictly optional, but if you have some, add it to the tempering oil too!
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek leaves – optional, but delicious.
- ¼–1 teaspoon Indian chili powder, or cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
Instructions
Add the lentils and pigeon peas, if using, to a large bowl and cover generously with hot water. Soak for 30 minutes, drain, and discard soaking water.
While the lentils soak, add the coconut oil to a dutch oven or pot, over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 10-12 minutes. Add the jalapeno, garlic, and ginger and cook until softened, 1-2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they soften and become juicy. Add in the turmeric, garam masala, asafetida (if using) and salt. Cook until fragrant, about 60 seconds.
Add the lentils and water to the pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the lentils are tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Using an immersion blender, or regular blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Some small flecks are fine. Stir in the butter.
While the dal is simmering, add the coconut oil to a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once warm, stir in the cumin seeds and chilis (if using) cook until they start to crackle and pop. Add in the chili powder, paprkia and any other spices you are using. Cook until just fragrant, about 30 seconds and remove from heat.
Serve bowls of the dal topped with the tempering oil.
Notes
Coconut oil: or another neutral oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil work well. You could also use ghee.
Jalapeno: For a more mild recipe, seed the jalapeno. For more spice, use a spicier chili!
Garam masala: a traditional and readily available Indian spice blend.
Water: use 3 ½ cups for a thicker dal and 4-4 ½ cups for a thinner dal. The dal will thicken as it cools.
Dried red chilis: totally optional. They’re more for looks than flavor. If you do purchase some, you can also use them in this General Tso’s Tofu recipe.
Indian chili powder: also called Kashmiri chili powder, it is more spicy and less fragrant than Mexican chili powder. You can substitute with cayenne. Start small and add more to taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ recipe
Keywords: red lentil, turmeric, tomato, garam masala, cumin, paprika, easy, Indian, spicy, soup,
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