Restaurant-Style Dal Tadka

Today, I’m sharing possibly the most classic Indian dish ever: Dal Tadka!

I grew up eating dal nearly everyday as a child (like many Indian kids!), and this version is my favorite weeknight dal recipe. It’s creamy, packed with layer upon layer of flavor, and is a warm hug in a bowl. It gets taken over the top with the spiced oil (tadka) and tastes like pure comfort food (but is healthy, vegan, and gluten-free). 

And if you have my cookbook, The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook, you can find a recipe for an easy but delicious Dal Tadka in Chapter 3. 

What is Dal Tadka?

Dal = the Hindi word for lentil.

In India, dal refers not only to the dish but also to lentils themselves. The dish is basically a deeply spiced, aromatic lentil stew, but there are countless regional variations of dal and even more variations across each Indian family. 

Tadka = tempered oil in which spices, herbs, and/or aromatics are briefly fried in oil. The name differs depending on the regional language. For instance, in Gujarati (the language my family speaks), we call it vaghar. 

The dal (lentils cooked in spices and aromatics) is finished by pouring the tadka on top.

In this recipe, split lentils are cooked in a mixture of aromatics, ground spices, and tomatoes (which bring a pleasant tanginess) until soft and creamy. The lentils are finished with the fragrant tadka, which enhances both the taste and texture.

Why you’ll love this Dal Tadka

Pantry staples. Aside from a few aromatics (fresh ginger, green chili pepper, and cilantro), this is a pantry recipe! 

Budget-friendly. In addition to being a pantry meal, it’s budget-friendly!

Authentic Indian food, restaurant-style. There are a ton of Indian recipes out on the internet, and a lot of them skimp on spices or just use one or two bottled spices. I can see the appeal of that, but if you want a truly authentic (and incredibly delicious) Indian dal, this is the recipe for you!

Comfort food but healthy. It’s creamy, deeply spiced and aromatic, and tastes indulgent. BUT, it’s made with wholesome ingredients and high in protein, thanks to lentils. Dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free, so it’s allergen-friendly too! 

What kind of lentils are used in dal?

Dal is typically made with split lentils or split peas, but there are also variations that use split chickpeas (“chana dal”) or kidney beans (“rajma dal”).

In this recipe, I use moong dal (AKA yellow split lentils), but growing up, my mom most often used toor dal (AKA yellow split pigeon peas). You can easily substitute with other split lentils. The cook time will vary, with the chana dal likely taking the longest, so you need to keep an eye on the dal as it cooks.

You can find every variety of split lentil and pea at South Asian grocery stores. If you have access to only a basic grocery store, use regular red lentils (they will take a bit longer to cook since their skins aren’t split).

You can also find these lentils on Amazon. All of these varieties work in this recipe. 

• Moong Dal (yellow split lentils)
• Toor Dal (yellow split pigeon peas)
• Chana Dal (split chickpeas)
• Masoor Dal (red split lentils)

Everything you need to know about Tadka

Tadka is tempered and spice-infused oil, widely used in Indian cooking. The idea is to toast spices and aromatics in a fat source, as it releases their essential oils, which is where the aroma and flavors live.

Basic instructions for tadka

Heat up a few spoons of oil in a small pan (sometimes ghee is used, but I use oil to keep it vegan). Add whole spices and/or sliced or minced aromatics (like ginger or garlic). Toast them until they sizzle and become aromatic, swirling often to prevent burning.

If adding ground spices, add them last, for just 10-30 seconds. Stir or swirl the pan frequently to prevent burning.

Tip: The tadka brings SO much flavor and warmth to the dish (and even texture). It takes the dal from good to fantastic, so please please please don’t skip it!!

What spices are used in tadka?

My version contains black mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, and dried red chili pepper. I think the curry leaves and mustard seeds add the most flavor, so I wouldn’t skip those if you have an Indian grocery store near you. If you don’t, here are some dried curry leaves on Amazon. 

Substitutes: If you don’t have all the spices in this recipe, fret not because every tadka is different. Here are some substitute options.

• Thinly sliced shallots or garlic
• Fennel seeds or fenugreek leaves 
• Whole cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces 
• Whole cardamom pods or whole cloves
• A few pinches of ground spices, such as cumin or coriander (be sure to add for just a few seconds at the very end to prevent burning)
• Asafoetida powder (aka hing) is often added to dal, as it helps the body better digest legumes. It brings all the spices together and makes it taste distinctly Indian. Note: it smells very pungent and offputting, but once cooked, its odor disappears.

How to make Dal Tadka (step-by-step instructions) 

Gather your ingredients.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with the oil. Sauté the onions until starting to turn golden. Add the garlic, ginger and serrano pepper, and sauté for 60-90 seconds.

Add the ground spices and stir almost constantly for 30 seconds. Pour in 2 cups water to deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits.

Add the lentils and salt/pepper to the pan. Bring the dal to a boil, then partially cover the pan and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the diced tomatoes, stir, and cook uncovered for 4 to 5 minutes, until tomatoes are broken down (fresh tomatoes need more time). At the end, stir in the chopped cilantro.

Tip: for a creamier texture, run an immersion blender through some (but not all) of the dal.

Before serving, make the tadka. Heat a couple spoons of oil up in a tadka pan or small skillet. Once shimmering, add the mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the cumin seeds. Finally, add the curry leaves and dried red chile peppers.

Keep stirring or shaking/swirling the pan to help cook the spices evenly and to prevent burning, for a total of 60-90 seconds.

Pour the tadka over the dal and stir to incorporate. Garnish with more cilantro and serve warm!

How to serve Dal Tadka

In most Indian families and restaurants, dal is served with either white rice or some sort of simple flatbread, like roti or chapati.

If you are feeling fancy, this dal pairs amazingly well with my homemade Vegan Naan recipe. 

For toppings, I like to add a little coconut yogurt and thinly sliced red onion on top. If you don’t have vegan yogurt but still want something cooling, try a little diced avocado. Non-traditional but very good! 

Watch! How to make Vegan Dal Tadka

3 Delicious Lentil Recipes | healthy + vegan

In the above video, I show you how to make three different lentil recipes. For the Dal Tadka, fast forward to the 3:24 mark. And for more delicious recipe videos, check out my youtube channel!

If you love this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram with your recreations and please rate and review the recipe below!