Dal, the storehouse of goodness and proteins and natures gift to vegetarians, is our staple in India and the seasonings added to these magical lentils, differs from region to region.
Tadka dal is a specialty of Northern India, a simple everyday dal dish, served with steamed white rice or rotis (indian flat breads). Dal Tadka is a full-flavoured lentil dish tempered with a sprinkling of green chillies, curry leaves or coriander leaves, garlic and cumin seeds.
Ingredients:
1 cup of split yellow moong dal
pinch of turmeric pwd
3-4 green chillies slit length wise
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
chopped coriander/cilantro leaves for garnish or curry leaves
salt to taste
For Tadka:
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
7-8 curry leaves
1 tbsp ghee or oil
Wash and cook the dal in enough water, turmeric powder and ginger (the dal should be immersed in water). This dal cooks faster than other dals and is light and good for digestion.
Take a saucepan and add ghee, add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Now add the cumin seeds and let it brown. Add the garlic and saute for a few seconds. Add the curry leaves and green chillis and saute till the flavors come out. Finally add the cooked dal along with the cooked dal water and salt and cook for 4-5 minutes.
Garnish with coriander leaves.
Email this article
Print this article
Translate: FR | ES | DE
(link)
05/31/2006
Hey Sailaja. This looks really really good. Just one question though: what exactly is curry leaves? i tried looking for some coriander leaves and didnt have too much luck finding those, so I am going to try and look for the curry leaves. Do they have another name?
(link)
06/01/2006
Mark,
“The curry leaf plant (or tree if you wish), is a native of Tropical Asia, southern India and Sri Lanka. Belonging to the Rutaceae family, this plant grows to a height between 2 and five meters, depending on various factors. The leaves are small, pointed and in clusters, giving of a strong aroma faintly reminding one of citrus and anise. The aroma is delightful when added to curries and while frying spices, and lends that extra something to south Indian dishes.”
If you dont find both coriander or curry leaves, dont worry about it. The dal still tastes good.The leaves are for that added flavor. And when you do find the leaves, cook the dal using the leaves. You will know the difference, cooking with leaves and without them….:)
(link)
06/01/2006
oh wow! thanks! i tried asking the local grocers around here for curry leaves and they just looked at me funny. I am going to try this without curry leaves and see how curry-ish it is. Thanks again.
(link)
06/01/2006
i think curry leaves are known as ‘Murraya koenigii’.
(link)
10/03/2006
hi Sailaja,
can you tell me what is cilantro leaves?
brgds
thomas
(link)
11/26/2006
Just prepared this dal and enjoyed it with my wife.
Absolutely awesome :)
Thanks for sharing this as your receipre reminded us our trip to India we did one year ago.
best regards
(link)
06/18/2007
Curry Leaves Meethi Neem leaves used in Kadhi. There are three curry leaves in picture.
(link)
11/19/2007
only way you can fin curry leaves is in indian grocery store.
and cilantro is coriander leaver that you can find in any store next to parsley.
(link)
12/12/2007
Hi,
Any tips on cooking dal? I mean – how long does it take?
(link)
02/05/2008
HI
Do We have to pressure cook the dal first? and for how long
(link)
03/27/2008
I tried cooking dal a couple of times it NEVER got soft! I GAVE UP AND THREW IT OUT IN THE GARBAGE THE FIRST TIME! The second time I tried I cooked it for 4 hours 2 days in a row it still NEVER GOT SOFT! So I put it in a blender and cooked it again it still seemed grainey. HOW DO YOU COOK THIS STUFF IN A REGULAR POT AND HOW LONG WILL IT ACTUALLY TAKE???? HELP ASAP PLEASE. MY HUSBAND’S FROM INDIA!!!
(link)
06/08/2008
Julie
I am no expert, but put the lentils in a Pressure cooker, and add twice the amount of water for whatever quantity of lentils you use and shut the cooker close. Put the whistle on top and turn on stove to medium heat. Let the cooker blow out three whistles, or maybe four or five, and then turn off the heat. let the thing stand for a while till the steam is gone (i.e. when you try to open the lid of the pressure cooker it should come off, if there is steam inside it wont). alternately if you are in too big a hurry, just push and hold the cooker down under cold water and you would see the steam go away. once the steam is gone the lid should open,
when you open the lid, the lentils should be done, take a couple of em between ur fingers and see if they mash.
thats all to it. shouldnt take more than 20 minutes, hope this helps