Quick And Tasty Indian Dal Recipe | Simple Lentil Curry
Discover how to make the perfect Quick & Tasty Indian Dal Recipe. This beginner-friendly lentil curry is flavourful, simple, and great with rice or roti!
Ingredients
For Boiling the Dal:
- 1 small bowl Toor Dal pigeon pea lentils
- 3 tablespoons Chana Dal Bengal gram lentils
- 1.5 glasses of Water adjust as needed
- 2 tablespoons Onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons Tomato finely chopped
- A pinch of Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- A few drops of Oil
For the Tempering (Tadka):
- 1 tablespoon Oil or Ghee for extra flavour
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- A pinch of Asafoetida Hing
- 1 sprig of Curry leaves
- 1 medium Onion coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger-Garlic-Green Chilli crushed paste
- 1 tablespoon Tomato chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder
- 1 teaspoon Onion-Garlic Masala or standard Red Chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander-Cumin powder Dhana Jeera powder
- Freshly chopped Coriander leaves
- Warm water to adjust the consistency
Instructions
- Wash the Lentils: In a pressure cooker, add the Toor Dal and Chana Dal. Wash them thoroughly with water.
- Prep for Boiling: Pour in about 1.5 glasses of water. Add the chopped onion, chopped tomato, a pinch of turmeric, a little salt, and a few drops of oil.
- Pressure Cook: Close the lid and cook for 4 whistles on medium heat. (If you soak the dal for 10-15 minutes beforehand, just 2 whistles are enough.) Let the cooker cool down naturally before opening.
- Heat the Oil: In a separate pan or kadhai, heat the oil (or ghee) over medium heat.
- Add Whole Spices: Add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then, add cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), and curry leaves.
- Sauté Aromatics: Add the coarsely chopped onion and fry until lightly golden brown. Then, add the crushed ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and sauté well.
- Add Tomatoes & Spices: Stir in the remaining chopped tomato. Lower the flame and add your dry spices: Garam Masala, Onion-Garlic Masala, Coriander-Cumin powder, and a pinch of salt. Add a handful of chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
- Combine & Simmer: Pour the pressure-cooked dal into the pan and mix everything together. Add lukewarm water to adjust the thickness of the dal to your liking.
- Final Boil: Let the dal simmer on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes to let the flavours blend beautifully.
- Garnish: Top with fresh coriander leaves. Your delicious Indian Dal Recipe is ready to serve!