Blackrock Recipes & kitchen supply
Sign in Cart 0

No. 0285 Indian Free recipe

Dhaba-Style Dal Tadka with Fried Red Chilies

Split pigeon peas and red lentils cook down into a soft, golden dal, then get a sizzling tempering of ghee, garlic, cumin and whole dried chilies poured over just before serving. The crackle of hot spices gives this everyday comfort food its smoky roadside flavor, perfect with naan or rice.

4.8 from 641 cooks

Golden yellow dal with fried dried red chilies and cilantro in a brass kadai
Photo: Anil Sharma on Pexels
Prep
10 min
Cook
35 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Jump to method

Method 5 steps

  1. Simmer the toor dal and red lentils with water, turmeric and salt in a covered pot for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until completely soft.

  2. Whisk the dal to a smooth, pourable consistency, stir in the tomato and simmer for 5 minutes. Add hot water if it thickens too much.

  3. For the tadka, heat the ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle for 20 seconds.

  4. Add the garlic and dried chilies and fry for about 1 minute until the garlic is golden and the chilies darken. Take off the heat and stir in the chili powder.

  5. Pour the sizzling tadka over the dal in a serving bowl, scatter with cilantro and serve with lime wedges.

Tap a step to mark it done.

From the Vegetarian Mains kitchen

Around the pass

Crate of ripe orange tomatoes beside glossy purple and striped eggplants on paper
01 Crate of ripe orange tomatoes beside glossy purple and striped eggplants on paper
Striped graffiti eggplant sliced into thin rounds on a wooden board with a knife
02 Striped graffiti eggplant sliced into thin rounds on a wooden board with a knife
Golden chanterelles and white button mushrooms with parsley sprigs on white marble
03 Golden chanterelles and white button mushrooms with parsley sprigs on white marble

Cook next

More from Vegetarian Mains

The whole kitchen