I was having a hard time choosing which of my mom’s many dal recipes to share (she would actually made a different dal every night and I know I’m very lucky for the variety I always got on the dinner table), and I landed with this easy Dal Tadka (tadka is also known as chhonk or tempering spices) with a blend of moong and masoor dal, mainly because it cooks so quickly and it’s super adjustable.
// INGREDIENTS //
Add into pressure cooker:
– 1 cup yellow moong dal, rinsed well (whole green lentils that are split and dehusked)
– 1/2 cup red masoor dal, rinsed well (whole brown lentils that are split and dehusked)
– 4 cups water (+/- based on your preference, you can also add more water at the end)
– 3 green chilies, finely chopped (+/-)
– 2 tomatoes, diced
– 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
– 1.5 tsp coriander powder
– Salt to taste
Add into tadka/chhonk:
– 1.5 tbsp ghee or avocado oil
– 1 tsp cumin seeds
– 1/2 cup onion, finely diced (+/-)
– 4 cloves of garlic, minced
– 1/2 inch ginger, grated
– 1/4 tsp red chili powder (+/-)
– 1 dry red chili, break into a couple pieces so the ghee can get inside (optional)
Top with:
– Juice of 1 lime
– Cilantro
// RECIPE //
1️⃣ Add the first eight ingredients to your pressure cooker / Instant Pot / Mealthy. (If you’d like to soak your lentils for a bit after you rinse them, you can add them with the water to your pot for 10 min).
2️⃣ Set pressure cook settings to sealing, High, Natural Release, 7 minutes (if you’re using a traditional pressure cooker, cook for one whistle).
3️⃣ Wait for pressure to release, after 10 min if the pressure valve hasn’t dropped, manually release the remaining pressure. Check to see if the consistency is how you like it! You can add another cup of water at this point to make it thinner. To make it thicker, stir on high heat for a few min.
4️⃣ Start on your tadka/chhonk (temper your spices) using a tiny tadka pan or a small frying pan. Add the ghee and get it very hot.
5️⃣ Add the rest of the ingredients gradually – mixing or swirling when needed to combine. (If your ghee is hot enough this step should be done in 30 seconds so you don’t burn any of the spices.)
6️⃣ Top with lime, cilantro, and enjoy with some basmati rice!It’s not lentil soup or lentil dal it’s just dal – period. I was having a hard time choosing which of my mom’s many dal recipes to share (she legit made a different dal every night), and I landed with this easy Dal Tadka (also known as chhonk or tempering spices) with a blend of moong and masoor lentils, mainly because it cooks so quickly and it’s super adjustable.
#dal #daltadka #shorts