This is a warming, filling, vegetarian delight.
Mechanic
Red lentils cook fast and dissolve into a creamy base. The ratio matters: 1 cup lentils to 4–5 cups water. Less water (1:4) gives a thicker dal you can heap on rice; more (1:5) gives something looser.
The tadka is not garnish. Hot fat with spices poured over at the end is the flavour. Don’t skip it.
Dal
- 200 g red lentils (masoor dal, about 1 cup), rinsed until the water runs clear
- add split peas for more texture (add ~10 minutes pressure cooking time)
- 1.2 L water (5 cups)
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or minced (or 1 tsp paste as a fallback)
- 1½ tsp turmeric
- ¾ tsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp cinnamon (optional, adds warmth)
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced
- salt, to taste
Add the dal ingredients to a pot. Bring to a rolling boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 20 minutes. Stir and lightly mash; the lentils should dissolve into a smooth, creamy texture. Taste and adjust the salt.
Tadka
- 2 tbsp butter (or ghee; ghee is better)
- 1 small red onion, sliced
- 4–5 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 whole cloves (optional)
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
- a pinch of hing, or asafoetida (optional)
Melt the fat in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds, and the cloves and fenugreek, if using. When the cumin sizzles, add the garlic, onion, and hing. Fry until golden and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes. Pour over the dal and cover for a minute to let it infuse.
To serve
Warm basmati rice, plain raita, a crunchy salad (tomatoes, onion, cucumber, lime, salt), lime pickle on the side.
Variations
Onion-first dal
Cook a diced onion in oil until golden, then add the garlic, ginger, ground coriander, and turmeric before the lentils go in, so the lentils absorb a more developed flavour. Use the 1:4 ratio for a thicker result. Finish with lemon juice and the garam masala off the heat. The tadka is simpler: ghee, cumin, hing, and a dried red chili. Adapted from Vice.
Coconut cream dal
Use yellow split peas instead of masoor (400 g, no soak needed). Sauté a diced onion in oil until soft, add 2 tbsp ginger and 1 tsp crushed red chili, then stir in the dal’s spices (turmeric, garam masala, and cinnamon) for one minute. Add 1 tsp honey, a 400 g can of crushed tomatoes, a 400 ml can of coconut cream, and 3 cups water. Stir in the split peas and simmer, covered, for 80 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Go deeper
Use toor dal (yellow split pigeon peas) instead of masoor; it’s nuttier and slower to cook (40 minutes simmered, or 8 minutes in a pressure cooker). Build the base separately with more spice: coriander seeds, cloves, Kashmiri chili powder.
For smokiness, try the dhungar technique: nestle a small metal bowl in the pot, drop in a lit piece of charcoal, add a splash of ghee, and put the lid on for 5 minutes.
Notes
- Masoor (red lentils) need no soaking. Toor dal benefits from 30 minutes in water first.
- Hing smells aggressive in the jar; it mellows completely in hot fat and adds a savoury depth.
- After pouring the tadka, spoon a bit of dal into the pan, stir to pick up the remaining spiced fat, and return it to the pot.
- Leftovers thicken considerably. Loosen with water when reheating.