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How To Make Tarka Dal

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How To Make Tarka Dal
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Tarka Dal Recipe. Tarka or Enlarge Tarka Dal Recipe. Tarka or "tadka" is a process of cooking in which spiced butter is used to season a dish. This is a classic, comforting lentil dish. Manju Malhi's recipe is fantastic with fresh coriander leaves and hot naan bread. Try our Tarka Dal recipe.
Serves:
2 to 4
Preparation Time:
5 minutes
Cooking Time:
33 minutes
Total Time:
38 minutes

Step 1: You will need

  • 300 g red dal or lentils
  • 850 ml water
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • ¼ tsp ground coriander
  • 30 g butter
  • ¼ tsp cumin seeds
  • ¼ tsp asafoetida
  • 1 medium onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ¼ tsp chilli powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 15-20 g of fresh coriander leaves
  • 1 frying pan
  • 1 spatula
  • 1 sharp knife
  • 1 teaspoon

Step 2: Lentils

Put 300g of red dal into a sieve, and rinse with cool water under a tap, until the water runs almost clear.

Bring 850ml of water to the boil in a non-stick pan, and add the lentils. Then, straight away add a teaspoon of turmeric and 1/4 teaspoon of ground coriander. Stir, then leave to bubble gently for 15 to 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft, and the water is frothy. Stir occasionally.

Step 3: Chop

Cut the ends off a medium onion, and finely chop.

Crush 2 cloves of garlic slightly. Remove the skin, and finely chop.

Step 4: Spice the butter

Over a medium heat, melt 30g of butter in a non-stick frying pan. Then, add 1/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds, and about a 1/4 teaspoon of asafoetida.

Step 5: Onion and garlic

Add the chopped onion and garlic to the frying pan, and fry until the onion starts to brown. This will take about 6 minutes.

Step 6: More spice

Sprinkle in 1/4 teaspoon of chilli powder. Keep stirring.

Step 7: Lentils

Add the boiled lentils to the pan. Keep frying for another 3-4 minutes. The lentils will absorb the flavours of the butter and spices.

Step 8: Garam Masala

Add half a teaspoon of Garam Masala, and stir. Take the pan off the heat.

Step 9: Serve

Top the dal with a knob of butter, and scatter some fresh chopped coriander leaves to garnish.
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Tips & Comments
  1. Redgreen0289

    We seem to have a translation issue about "teaspoons" here... yes, the cook is using a "teaspoon" (not a set of US measuring spoons), but when they take a heaping half a teaspoon it looks over double what a US 1/2 teaspoon would be. This could result in a really bland meal if too little spice is used. I assume that measuring spoons are common in most of the world - it would be nice if they could actually measure their ingredients.

  2. MrsTArshad

    Ive made this dish on numerous occasions and think its yummy! I think the earlier comments are from people who misunderstood...You dont add the boiled water with the lentils to the 'Tarka'..Drain them 1st. Only thing i use alot more butter...Thank you for posting.

  3. Magpies

    No salt in this daal?

  4. ZOK

    I tried this recipe and it was a bit too dry. Definitely you will need more water or chopped tomatoes. And don't forget salt and pepper!

  5. Anonymous

    I LIKE VIDEO JUG BUT SORRY TO SAY THAT THIS DAAL IS NOT GOOD TOO MUCH ONION OVER COOKED DAAL THIS MASUR DAALIS VERY EASY TO COOK DO NOT NEED SO MUCH WATER

  6. Anonymous

    tasted much better dal... maybe i need a new batch of spices.. I reckon the recipe needs salt and more spices, as well as more water

  7. Anonymous

    Tarka Dal (whether or not you follow this recipe) freezes really well, so make more than you need. Alternatively, freeze a large batch ofcooked lentils before you need to use them in the tarka dal, then use what you need. Freeze in a bag flat on a tray and you can break off what you need and don't have to freeze in small bags.

  8. Anonymous

    Yuk ! Yuk ! Yuk ! This is no way to make dal.

  9. Anonymous

    Add more of water to make it liquid

  10. vidhirc

    it looks like dal paste and dal is actually not made like this at all..Dal is more liquid