Dal Tadka

Ingredients

• 300g (1½ cups) chana dal (split yellow lentils), rinsed and soaked 20 min
• 1 large brown onion (approx 200g), finely diced
• 2 medium ripe tomatoes (approx 250g), roughly chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, 4 minced and 2 thinly sliced
• 1 x 3cm knob fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1½ tsp whole cumin seeds
• 3 dried Kashmiri red chilies
• 3 tbsp (45g) ghee, divided
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1½ tsp ground coriander
• ¾ tsp garam masala
• 1½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 900ml cold water
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander, leaves and tender stems roughly chopped

Smart Substitutions

• ↔Replace ghee with cold-pressed coconut oil to make it fully vegan
• ↔Swap yellow lentils for red lentils (masoor dal) to cut cooking time by 10 minutes

How to Cook

1. 1

   Drain the soaked lentils and transfer to a medium saucepan. Cover with 900ml cold water, add the turmeric and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam, then reduce heat to a steady simmer.

   25 min

   Skim the foam in the first 3–4 minutes — it removes bitter saponins and gives you a cleaner, sweeter dal.

2. 2

   While the lentils cook, heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy-bottomed kadai or skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring every 2–3 minutes, until deeply golden brown.

   12 min

   Patience is everything here. Rushing the onions to pale gold instead of deep amber will flatten the entire flavour profile of the dish.

3. 3

   Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the caramelized onions. Stir constantly and cook until the raw smell disappears and the mixture is fragrant and lightly golden.

   2 min

   If the garlic starts to catch on the bottom, add a small splash of water to deglaze and continue cooking.

4. 4

   Add the chopped tomatoes, ground coriander, and garam masala to the pan. Cook over medium heat, mashing the tomatoes as they soften, until the oil begins to separate visibly at the edges of the masala.

   8 min

   The moment the oil separates (bhuno) is your signal the masala is fully cooked — adding lentils too early results in raw, sour-tasting spices.

5. 5

   Pour the cooked lentils (with their liquid) into the masala pan. Stir well, taste and adjust salt. Simmer together uncovered to let the flavours meld.

   5 min

   If the dal is too thick, add hot water 50ml at a time. Dal thickens as it cools, so pull it off heat slightly thinner than you want it.

6. 6

   In a small pan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp ghee over high heat until shimmering. Add the sliced garlic and cumin seeds. Once cumin splutters and the garlic turns golden, immediately add the dried red chilies and stand back. Pour the entire sizzling tadka over the dal and cover immediately to trap the aroma for 60 seconds before stirring.

   1 min

   This final tadka (tempering) is the flavour soul of the dish — do it at the last second and serve immediately for maximum impact.