WHILE EVERY FAMILY HAS THEIR VARIATION, THIS DISH IS A STAPLE IN EVERY INDIAN HOME.
This dish, while its flavors are complex, is actually an extremely simple and easy lentil-based curry.
Dal in Hindi means lentils. and tadka in Hindi means tempering.
Dal Tadka is a popular traditional Indian lentil dish made with split lentils. The lentils are cooked with aromatics until soft. Then, the dish is finished with a tempering of hot oil and spices. The tempering is definitely the flavor maker of the dish, so you don’t want to overlook or compromise on this.
Dal Tadka is probably one of the most popular dishes you will find in Indian restaurants and a staple in most Indian homes. While every house, family, or chef has their own variation of this recipe, what you get is always the same. A bowl of warm, comforting, and delicious goodness.
You may find this dish made with a variety of different lentils or combinations of lentils. But, to keep things simple, we will only be using split pigeon peas, also known as toor dal. If you don’t have access to these, feel free to use red lentils (masoor dal), split chickpeas (chana dal), or moong dal (split green gram).
If you are new to going plant-based or to lentils, they can be a little hard to digest at first because of their fiber. The spices used in this recipe, like fennel, coriander, and cumin, will definitely aid digestion. However, it might be a good idea to soak your lentils with a little acid after rinsing them. I suggest adding 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, soak for at least one hour before cooking.
I love this dish paired with simple cauliflower rice and having some baked spiced okra alongside to complete the meal!
If you want to try another dal, you must try my coconut masoor dal or my creamy spiced mixed lentils.
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Get the full recipe at Whole30:
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