Indian · Main course · SAMPLE RECIPE
Dal tadka · lentils with sizzling spices
Soft golden lentils finished with fragrant ghee, cumin, garlic, and dried chili. A generous everyday bowl with a wonderfully aromatic finish.
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A NOTE FROM THE KITCHEN
Use split pigeon peas for this version.
Look for yellow toor dal, also sold as arhar dal. These split pigeon peas are different from yellow split peas, which can take longer. The soaking time is included. Serve with separately prepared rice or roti if you like.
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Dal tadka · lentils with sizzling spices
Sample recipe awaiting kitchen testing. Timings are estimates.
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BEHIND THE DISH · North Indian lentil traditions
Dal tadka · lentils with sizzling spicesBeyond the plate.
A final small pan of sizzling spice transforms a pot of gently cooked lentils.
ORIGINS & EVOLUTION
A dish named for a technique.
Dal refers both to split pulses and to dishes made from them. Tadka is the seasoning technique of briefly heating spices in fat. Combining the two produces many variations, rather than a single recipe shared unchanged across India.
CULTURAL CONTEXT
A familiar part of a meal.
Yellow dal with a finishing tempering is common on home, restaurant, and roadside dhaba tables. Rice or flatbread often accompanies it. Garlic, cumin, and chili bring a lively aroma to the lentils’ soft texture.
AT THE TABLE
Toor dal on the stovetop.
This version uses split pigeon peas and an ordinary saucepan. The onion and tomato are cooked separately, then stirred into the softened dal. The final ghee carries cumin, garlic, and dried chili, and goes into the pot just before serving.
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