Dal Tadka | Nutritious Tadka Dhal For Rice and Chapathi

Today I am here with very comfort and nutritious dal that can be paired with roti/chapathi or rice. Also this dal goes well with South Indian Dosa Varieties. Dal tadka is a Punjabi dish and I have already posted dal fry with masala phulka this dal tadka varies from dal fry just in the making process. I like to mention here that my kids like dal with ghee for after school lunch and this is one among it. Here in Dal tadka you can skip
tomato and today I went for mix of 3 dals.

Ingredients

1 Cup of Dal – I use mix of 1/3 Cup Tuvar Dal (Arhar) + 1/3 Cup Chana Dal (Split Yellow Lentil) + 1/3 Cup Masoor dal (Split pink lentil)
Onion – 1 Number (Large)
Tomato – 1 Medium (Optional)
Garam Masala powder – 1tsp
Whoe Green Chilies – 1 or 2 Slit
Cumin Seeds – 1/2tsp
Turmeric powder/haldi – 1/2tsp
Asafoetida/Hing – A Pinch
Chopped Coriander Leaves – 1-2 Tbsp (For Garnishing)
Oil and Salt – As NeededFor the Tadka/Tempering
Mustard Seeds – 1/2tsp
Cumin Seeds/Jeera – 1tsp
Mix of Slit Green or Dry Red chilies – 2 to 3 Numbers
Ginger – 1 inch, finely chopped or grated
Garlic Cloves – 5 to 6 Numbers, finely chopped
Curry Leaves – Few
Ghee/Butter/Oil – 2 Tbsp

Method

Wash (Pic 1) and soak the lentils for 15 minutes at least, add halve of chopped onions, tomato (sometimes i skip), and slit green chili’s.
Add soaked dal, 3 cups of water and 1tsp cooking oil to the pressure pan.
You can add turmeric powder along with dal or later.
Pressure cook the lentils for about 4 to 6 whistles in medium flame.
Once cooked, mash the dal with potato masher or spatula and keep aside.
Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a kadai add 1/2tsp cumin, remaining onion saute well till it turns golden brown then add turmeric, hing and garam masala powders (Pic 2).
At last add cooked dal (Pic 2), salt and add some water if the dal looks too thick.
Masoor Dal has the tendency to get thick soon, so make the dal bit watery as shown in pic 3.

Meanwhile prepare the tadka.
In another kadai add butter or ghee, temper the ingredients given “For tadka”.
First add cumin seeds let them crackle, then add chopped garlic and ginger pieces then whole red chili’s, curry leaves saute for a while and simmer the flame.
Pour the sizzling tadka mixture along with ghee in to simmering dal.
You can mix the dal (Pic 4) or serve the dal tadka with the tempering on top it.
I added only half in the dal and remaining garnished at the end as shown in display picture below.
Adjust salt and remove from heat.
Garnish the dhal with some chopped coriander leaves (optional).
This Dal Tadka can be served with Roti/Phukas/Steamed Plain Rice or Jeera Rice.
Here i served it with soft chapathis.