Daal tarka
This daal tarka is quick & easy, something to make on a lazy weekend or busy weekdays. A mix of two lentils makes it more nutritious and flavorful with a simple no-fuss tarka (tempering) of just asafetida (hing) & cumin seeds. High in plant-based protein, fiber, iron & other essential nutrients, this daal tarka provides complex carbs and is rich in resistant starch.
Servings 4 people
Calories 368kcal
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Small pan/wok
- Tarka pan/tempering pan
Ingredients
To cook daal
- ½ cup arhar/toor daal (split pigeon pea lentils, without skin), washed, presoaked (at least 2 hours) and drained
- ½ cup masoor daal (split red lentils, without skin), washed, presoaked (at least 2 hours) and drained
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
To make tomato gravy
- 3 tsp ghee/oil
- 2-3 big cloves garlic, refer to notes
- 1 cm ginger, refer to notes
- 1 green chilli, refer to notes
- 1 medium tomato (approx. 150 gms), roughly chopped
- 1-1½ tsp salt or as per taste, refer to notes
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
To make tarka
- 3 tsp ghee/oil
- ¾ tsp cumin seeds
- ⅛-¼ tsp asafetida (hing) refer to notes
Topping & Garnish
- Lemon/lime juice
- 2-3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
To cook daal in pressure cooker
- Check both daals for any small stones or sticks and remove if any. In a big enough bowl, measure & add both daals. Add water to the bowl, then wash and drain. Repeat 3-4 times or till the water runs clear. Presoak in fresh water (up to 2cm over the daal) for at least 2 hours.
- Wash once more before cooking and drain daal. Add the drained daal in the pressure cooker along with water & salt as detailed in the recipe. Do not close the lid. Cook on high flame till the water starts boiling. Soon, a foamy residue will come on top of the water; skim this foamy residue and discard it.
- Once you have discarded the foamy residue, add the turmeric powder. Mix and close the pressure cooker lid. Keep cooking on high flame till the first whistle. After the first whistle, reduce the flame to low and cook for another 3-5 minutes (this time may vary due to water differences or quality of lentils). Switch off the gas and let the steam release on its own, around 10-15 minutes, till the pressure cooker is ready to be opened.
- After you open the pressure cooker, mix the daal gently. It will be thick with partial pieces of daal visible.
- If you find the consistency too thick, add some hot boiled water.
To cook tomato gravy
- Roughly chop the ginger, garlic & green chilli.
- Using a mortar pestle, make a ginger-garlic-green chilli paste.
- Roughly chop the tomato.
- Heat ghee/oil in a pan or wok on medium flame. Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and sauté enough to reduce the raw smell, approximately a minute to minute and a half. Reduce the flame to low if needed to avoid burning the paste.
- Next add the chopped tomato, salt, chilli powder, coriander powder and mix.
- Cook on low-medium flame till the tomato is cooked (press the tomato pieces with the back of a spoon) and the oil separates, approximately 4-5 minutes. Switch off the gas.
- Add the tomato gravy to the daal and mix.
- Switch on the gas for the daal and on a low flame, bring the daal to a boil to help mix in the flavors and let it simmer on low flame for a minute or two. Taste and add salt if required. Switch off the gas.
To make tarka
- Heat ghee/oil in a tarka pan or a small frying pan on low-medium flame.
- Add the cumin seeds & asafetida and sizzle for around 20-25 seconds.
- Add the tarka to the daal and stir well.
- Add lemon/lime juice and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with rice or roti/paratha or have it as a soup.
Video
Notes
- 1 cup = 250 ml
- Serving size is when served with rice
- A total of ¾ tbsp-1 tbsp of ginger, garlic & green chilli paste.
- Be mindful of the salt that has already been added while cooking the daal. Always start with less salt and add more later if required.
- Pure asafetida is gluten free, however most asafetida in the shops have additives in it. Please check the ingredients carefully if gluten intolerant and buy only pure asafetida. If using pure asafetida, use around ⅛ tsp as it is quite strong in flavor. You could use garlic instead if pure asafetida is unavailable.
- Best eaten fresh or by next day.
- Daals are also gelatinous in nature and thicken over time. If there's a gap between cooking and consuming daal, you might have to add some hot boiled water while heating to adjust consistency.
- Calories information is approximate, calculated using online Recipe Calorie & Nutrition Calculator.
Nutrition
Calories: 368kcal