Dal Tadka

Dal chawal, being (almost) a staple in Indian households, there obviously would be so many ways of making dal tadka/ dal fry and therefore utterly presumptuous for me to proclaim that the following recipe is the "best" way of making dal tadka.


For years, I struggled with getting this rather simple dish "just right". It was never quite "restaurant - like." However, after a lot of adding a lit bit of this, and a little less of that, I have finally come up with a recipe for dal tadka that is just right for us.

Try it and tell me what you think about it!!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup toor dal and 1/4 cup masoor dal

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 dried red chillies
1 large clove garlic, chopped finely
1" piece ginger, thinly sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1.5 tsp coriander, chopped

1.5 tsp Kitchen King masala
1/2 tsp chat masala
1/2 tsp amchur
1 tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp hing

1.5 tbsp oil/ghee for tempering

Method:


1. Pressure cook the dals with turmeric and hing until soft. Once cooked, mash and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a kadhai. Add the garlic and let it fry till the garlic starts to brown at the edges.
3. Now add the mustard seeds and the cumin seeds and let them splutter. Next, put in the dried red chillies.
4. Now add the onion and the ginger and saute till the onion turns pink.
5. Add the mashed dals with some water and give it a good stir.
6. Next, add the tomato and all the remaining dry masalas and let the dal boil till the tomato is thoroughly cooked.
7. Lower the heat, add 1 tbsp of the coriander and let the dal simmer for about 30 mins (yes that long...the key to a delicious dal is the length of time you let the dal simmer). Stir occasionally and keep adding water to get a consistency that you like.
8. Garnish with the remaining coriander and serve!!

* I do this if I am entertaining - Just before serving, heat 1 tsp ghee, add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds and let them splutter, then add 1 dried red chilli. Pour on top of the dal (don't stir - let your guests do that) and garnish with coriander. The aroma of ghee tadka...well, you know that aroma too, I am sure!!