Authentic Dal Tadka (Stovetop, Instant Pot)

Dal tadka is a classic dish made with yellow lentils, spices, and a tempering of aromatics. This easy recipe is perfect for a weeknight meal, and with its rich flavor and creamy texture, it will become a satisfying dish everyone will love.

This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you’re in a rush, please use the “Jump to Recipe” above!

🍲 What is dal tadka?

Dal refers to lentils. Tadka means “tempering” (infusing fat, typically oil or ghee, with spices and aromatics). This involves heating oil or ghee, adding spices like cumin seeds, dried red chili peppers, and curry leaves to infuse flavors into the oil. This flavored oil is poured on top of the completed dish. So, dal tadka or tadka dal is basically a simmered lentil base with the tempering poured on top.

Restaurant style dal tadka also often involves a ‘dhungar‘ process (which adds a smoky note by using charcoal). However, most home recipes are quite simple, and do not need this step to pack a punch with flavors.

💭 Why you’ll love this recipe

I believe in creating authentic flavors without the complexity of many “single use” ingredients. I think you’ll love this recipe because:

• Simple and ready in one hour: My recipe is simple and does not use too many special ingredients. In fact, most ingredients and spices can be found at most local grocery stores or online – no need for specialty items!
• Authentic flavors: This recipe is my mother’s and grandmother’s exact recipe, so it’s been tested over three generations, so you can trust it! The lentils are soft and creamy, and the spices add a rich and complex flavor.
• It’s healthy and nutritious. Dal is a good source of protein and fiber. It is also low in fat and calories. This makes it a healthy and nutritious option for a meal.

Looking for other healthy meals with lentils? Try my kitchari, Ethiopian Misir Wot, or Mulligatawny Soup! All are vegan and gluten-free.

📋 Ingredients & Notes

To make this dal tadka recipe, you’ll need toor dal (also called arhar dal), tomatoes, onions, Thai green chili peppers and red chili powder. You’ll need mustard seeds, cumin seeds and red chili powder for the tadka (i.e. tempering).

Ingredient Notes

• Types of lentils: This recipe uses toor dal (split pigeon peas). Stock up, since it’s the backbone of lentil dishes in India! You could also use masoor dal (red lentils), moong dal (split green gram) or chana dal.
• Use of peppers: I buy Thai chili, but Serrano peppers work too – make sure to chop them, and then seed them if you don’t want the full spice hit. I’ve used dry red chilis but you can omit this if you don’t have an Indian store nearby or can’t purchase online
• Whole vs. ground spices: Many Indian dishes will use both the whole spices and the ground spices to enhance the overall flavor of the dish. If you don’t have whole spices (e.g. cumin seeds) – skip that part and just use the ground spices. It’ll still taste great! You can also add more spices like asafoetida or garam masala to enhance the flavors of the dish.
• Vegan substitutions: If you’re vegan, I recommend using vegan butter as the fat to do the tempering, instead of the ghee. This will slightly alter the taste, but no reason to not enjoy the dish!

📖 Make dal tadka on stovetop

There are three steps to make the best dal tadka recipe: cook dal, make the base, and then add the tadka.

Clean and cook the lentils until they’re tender

Sift through lentils to remove small particles or stones (it’s unlikely you’ll find any but good to make sure!). Then, measure lentils, rinse them thoroughly until the rinsed water runs mostly clear (typically, twice, but sometimes it can take a couple of tries)

Once lentils are clean, add them to a fresh pot of water. Then, close the lid and bring to a boil. If it foams, skim it off, turn down the stove to a simmer and cook until tender (30 – 45 minutes depending on type and age of lentil).

When it’s done cooking, lentils should be tender. If they look too or feel too “thick”, meaning it’s cooked through but not fluid, add a bit of water (~1/4th to 1/2 cup does the trick). This is also a personal preference: my mom loves her lentils to be very soft, but I like them to retain their shape a bit. Set this aside.

Make the base for dal (before the tadka)

Add oil or ghee to the same pan. Add cumin seeds to the hot oil and toast them quickly until fragrant. Fry onions and green chili peppers

You could also add garlic at the end of this stage but this is optional. Then, add the chopped tomatoes, coriander powder, and Kashmiri red chili powder. Mix the spices well and fry until soft (about 5-8 minutes). If you’re vegan, you can use avocado oil in place of the ghee. Paprika works well as a substitute too.

Add cooked lentils (along with water if you think it’s too “thick”). Let it cook on a simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. While the dal is cooking, make the tadka!

Tadka (i.e. tempering with spices and aromatics)

Tadka or tarka is the tempering process that is critical while making this recipe. I typically use ghee to temper since it really brings out the flavors. However, avocado oil works just as well if you’re vegan. The steps are different for fresh spices vs. ground spices.

If you’re using fresh spices, heat the oil or ghee first. Then, add mustard seeds, and cumin seeds and Indian dried red chili if you’re using that. Then, add the red chili powder. Saute together and set aside. This is how I’ve made it.

If you’re using ground spices, heat the oil or ghee. Then, add mustard seeds, and all ground spices together – cumin, and chili powder. Cook until this is thick and saucy. The finished product might look spicy, but it’ll just add depth to the dal. You can also skip this step if you don’t want to (or need to cook quickly!)

When the base is done cooking, add the tadka on top the cooked dal, and mix well. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve hot with rice or flatbread.

📖 Instant Pot Dal Tadka Recipe

Most of the steps here are the same.

• First, rinse and clean the lentils. You also don’t need to soak the lentils beforehand if you’re going this route.
• Add cleaned lentils along with 2.5 cups of water to the pressure cooker or Instant Pot and cook on high to pressure cook lentils.
• With an Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Allow natural pressure release for 10 minutes, and use manual valve to release the rest.
• If you pressure cook, release after 7-8 whistles for optimal texture.

Besides pressure cooking dal, follow the same steps as the stovetop recipe.

👩🏽‍🍳 Tips for the best dal tadka

This homemade dal tadka is authentic, time-tested and easy. Following the tips below will help you get it right each time, whether it’s your first or hundredth!

Cook time for lentils depends on type, age and method:

• Type of lentils: Moong dal takes 20 minutes, toor dal about 30 minutes, and masoor dal takes about 45 minutes (on stovetop).
• Age of lentils: Fresh lentils take ~20 – 45 minutes to cook stove-top. But the older they are, the longer they take to cook. If lentils are not soft when you’re done cooking, allow them to cook a bit longer. Add boiling hot water to pot if needed, you can drain later!
• Method used: In a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot, all the lentils take roughly 8-9 minutes. With a pressure cooker, wait 3 whistles for moong dal, 5 for toor dal, and 7 for masoor dal.

Other tips for cooking lentils just right:

• Use good quality lentils. The quality of the lentils you use will make a big difference in the taste of your dal tadka. Look for lentils that are plump and have a bright color.
• Soak the lentils before cooking. Soaking the lentils before cooking will help them to cook more quickly and evenly. Soak the lentils in water for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight. If you don’t have time to soak the lentils, you can still make a delicious dal tadka. Just increase cooking time by 10-15 minutes.
• Adjust the consistency. The consistency of your dal tadka is up to you. If you like it thick, cook it for a longer period of time. If you like it thinner, add more water or broth.

Create the right flavor profile:

• Use the right spices. The spices are what give dal tadka its characteristic flavor. Be sure to use a good quality garam masala and turmeric powder. You can also add other spices to taste, such as cumin, coriander, and chili powder.
• Don’t skip the tempering process! Tempering the spices is a process of cooking them in oil until they become fragrant. This adds a depth of flavor to your dal tadka.

🥣 Storage & serving suggestions

Serve: Dal tadka is the best comfort food on a cold day. So I love to eat it with jeera rice (Indian cumin rice) or with a simple flatbread like roti, chapati, or my favorite homemade naan.

Store: You can store the dal in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days. Reheat only the portion you want to eat, and not the whole container.

Freeze: If you want to freeze it, portion into airtight containers and pop in the freezer. When ready to eat, just thaw first for 30 minutes. Then, heat on stove top or microwave until its piping hot, and enjoy! It saves for up to 3 months!

Other hearty, healthy Indian recipes:

• Homemade Naan
• Quick Jeera (Cumin) Rice
• Chana Masala
• Vegetable Korma
• Kitchari
• Stir Fry Green Beans with Coconut
• Bombay Potatoes

Or check out even more Indian curries or Indian street food recipes.

If you tried this recipe, don’t forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐