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Mains · Indian

Red Lentil Dal with Cumin Tadka

Lentils simmered until they collapse, whisked smooth, then finished with a two-stage tempering of seeds, onion and garlic.

Prep
10 min
Cook
35 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4

Added . Suitable for: Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free.

Illustration of red lentil dal

Why this version

  • A 1 : 4 ratio of lentils to water by weight gives a dal that pours slowly from the ladle without a blender.
  • The tadka goes in stages — seeds first, then onion, then garlic — so nothing burns while the onion browns.
  • Ground spices go in off the heat; added to hot oil over the flame they scorched in two of our four tests.

Ingredients

Servings
4 servings
Units

For the dal

  • 250 g split red lentils, rinsed
  • 1 litre water
  • ¾ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 medium tomato, chopped
  • 3 cm fresh ginger, grated
  • 1¼ tsp fine salt

For the tadka

  • 3 tbsp neutral oil, or ghee if not keeping it vegan
  • 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 dried red chillies
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • ½ tsp garam masala

To finish

  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 15 g coriander, chopped
  • cooked basmati rice, to serve

Method

  1. Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold water, swirling them with your hand, until the water runs mostly clear — about three changes. Put them in a large saucepan with the water, turmeric, tomato and ginger.

  2. Bring to the boil and skim off the foam. Simmer, partly covered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the lentils have completely broken down. Whisk hard for 30 seconds to make it creamy, then add the salt. If it is thicker than you like, loosen it with hot water.

  3. For the tadka, heat the oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the mustard seeds; when they start to pop, after 20–30 seconds, add the cumin seeds and dried chillies and let them sizzle for 10 seconds.

  4. Add the onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring, until deep golden at the edges. Add the garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes more, until just golden. Watch it closely: garlic turns bitter quickly.

  5. Take the pan off the heat and stir in the chilli powder and garam masala. They will foam in the residual heat; that is enough to cook them.

  6. Pour most of the tadka into the dal — it will hiss — and stir it through, keeping a spoonful back for the top. Add the lemon juice, taste for salt, and serve with the reserved tadka, coriander and rice.

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What we tested

  • Pressure cooker, 8 minutes at high pressure: perfectly good and faster, though slightly less silky than simmered.
  • Blended with a stick blender instead of whisked: too smooth, almost a soup. A whisk keeps a little texture.
  • All spices added to the lentils at the start: muted and muddy. The tadka is where the flavour lives.

Keeping

Keeps for 4 days in the fridge and thickens as it sits; add a splash of water when reheating. Freezes for 3 months.

Swaps and notes

Spinach is a good addition: stir in 150 g in the last 2 minutes. For a richer dal, finish with 2 tbsp coconut milk.

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