Creamy spiced lentils with a rich oil with cumin and garlic. This tarka daal recipe is a classic option and very easy to make. A great veggie option or side! This recipe is cheap, nutritious and most importantly delicious. It comes together in only 45 minutes and requires no special ingredients or equipment! Try this together with my chicken tikka recipe.

What is Tarka Daal

Daal (also spelled dal, dhal etc.) is a term commonly found in Indian cuisine. It refers broadly to pulses and dishes made from them. This includes beans, lentils, peas etc but you will most commonly hear it used to refer to lentils. Of course there is a wide range of dishes within this category, and tarka daal is just one.

Tarka daal, also known as tadka daal, is a yellow daal dish made using red split lentils. This dish traces it’s roots back thousands of years, with it’s earliest precursor being served at an Indian royal wedding in 303 BC. Lentils are among some of the earliest crops to be farmed by humans, and this evidence of being served at a wedding indicates a prominent cultural role. Yellow daal such as this has remained a commonly found dish and is most heavily associated with Punjabi cuisine in India.

The term tarka is interesting as it refers to a specific technique of tempering and cooking spices and aromatics in oil or ghee. This is exactly what happens with tarka daal. Spices, normally whole spices like cumin, and garlic are fried off in hot ghee to develop strong flavour and infuse the oil. This is then added to the daal as a finishing touch to add a burst of intense flavour. Aromatic compounds from the spices and vegetables are extracted much better into oil than into a water based stew like the daal itself, so this can create much more itensity.

My Recipe

One of the most important steps in making this is the first thing you do. That step is rinsing the lentils if using dried lentils. I cannot stress enough how important it is to actually observe this step! They should be rinsed thoroughly and repeatedly until the water runs completely clear. This allows you to remove any dust, dirt and anything else that may get into the lentils during cultivation and storage etc. Once this is done, let them dried lentils soak in a bowl of water for at least an hour.

Cooking them is then very easy. I add about three times as much water by volume as I do lentils and let them come to a boil. Some fom may rise, so skim that off. Once this is done, I add a few slices of ginger, a sliced onion and a couple of sliced tomatoes. This is then followed by turmeric and some coriander powder with some bay leaves, then I cover with a lid and let cook for 30 minutes or so. I stir every five to ten minutes to prevent the lentils from burning to the bottom. I then cook for the final 10 minutes uncovered to let the daal reduce a bit.

To make the tarka, take a small pan and heat it with some ghee in. I much prefer to use ghee rather than oil as it has a lot more of it’s own flavour. I then add cumin and mustard seeds and 6 or so cloves of garlic, cut into slices. Cook these off for a few minues until fragrant and golden, then simply pour the whole pans contents into the daal and mix well! At this point, it should smell fantastic! This is best served with rice and/or naan. I also like to serve it with something like chicken tikka for some extra protein.

Creamy, Rich & Spiced Tarka Daal

Creamy spiced lentils with a rich oil with cumin and garlic. This tarka daal recipe is a classic option and very easy to make. A great veggie option or side!

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 40 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Servings: 6 people

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

For the Daal

• 1 cup Red Lentils
• 3 cups Water
• 3 slices Ginger
• 1 Yellow Onion Large
• 1.5 tbsp Turmeric
• 2 tsp Ground Coriander
• 4 Bay Leaves
• 1 tsp Salt

For the Tarka

• 2 tbps Ghee
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 tbps Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds

Method

 

1. If using dried lentils, rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear. Set aside and let soak for an hour or so.
2. Add the lentils to a large pot and add the water. Bring to a boil. Skim off any foam that rises
3. Thinly slice the onion and chop the tomatoes up. Once the water comes to a gentle boil, add them with the ginger slices.
4. Add in the bay leaves, ground coriander and turmeric and stir well. Cover the pot with a lid and let cook for 30 minutes. Stir every 5 to 10 minutes to prevent an lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
5. After the 30 minutes, take off the lid and cook for another 10 minutes uncovered to let reduce a bit.
6. Heat a small pan over medium high heat and add the ghee.
7. Add the cumin and coriander seeds and cook in the ghee for 30 seconds or so. Thinly slice the garlic and add it. Cook for aonother minute or so, until the spices are fragrant and the garlic is golden.
8. Tip the tarka into the daal pot and mix well. Add coriander if wanted to garnish and serve!