Dal Tadka Recipe | Restaurant Style Dal Tadka

This Dal Tadka recipe is a very tasty side dish for Chapati, Aloo paratha, Veg pulao etc. It is highly protein rich as dal is the main ingredient here and any two dal combination can be used or it can be prepared with toor dal alone. I have used Dhungar method: is an ancient technique of smoking and infusing the flavour of burnt charcoal smoke into the dish. I have prepared this restaurant style dal tadka so many times but this is the first time, I am using the dhungar technique for blogging sake. The smoky aroma from the charcoal lends an amazing flavour and please read the recipe till last to know the pictorial instructions and variations used in this interesting dhungar method.

Check out my other Dishes 
1. Paneer Butter Masala 
2. Chapati Noodles
3. Mint Pulao
4. Chilli Idli Recipe

Restaurant Style Dal Tadka Recipe

Dal Tadka Recipe | Restaurant Style Dal Tadka

Priya Santhamohan

Dal Tadka Recipe / Restaurant Style Dal Tadka is highly protein rich and any two dal combination can be used or can be prepared with toor dal alone.

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 35 mins

Course Sidedish for Rice, Sidedish for Roti

Cuisine North Indian

Servings 3 People

Calories

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 Cup Toor Dal
• 1/4 Cup Channa Dal
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1 Onion
• 3 Garlic
• 1" Piece Ginger
• 2 Green Chilli
• 1 Tomato
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder Link for Garam masala powder
• Salt As Required
• Coriander Leaves Little

For Dhungar (Optional)

• 1 Small Charcoal
• 1/4 tsp Ghee Link for Homemade Ghee

For Tempering

• 1 tbsp Ghee Link for Homemade Ghee
• 3 Garlic
• 1/2 tsp Jeera
• 2 Red Chilli
• 1 Pinch Hing
• 1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

Instructions

 

• Chop onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, green chilli and coriander leaves finely. Then keep the ingredients ready for tempering.
• Rinse all the dal well and soak in water for 30 minutes, soaking helps in fast cooking. Then pour 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook it for 5 to 6 whistles. Once the pressure subsides by itself, open the lid and mash it well. In a pan, pour oil, then add onion, garlic, ginger, green chilli and saute till transparent.
• Add tomato and saute till it turns mushy, now pour the mashed dal.
• Add turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and cook covered for 5 to 6 minutes on low flame. The consistency of the dal should be medium, not watery or too thick.
• Add coriander leaves and keep the pan by side.

For the dhungar method

• Hold the charcoal with a tongs and show it in direct flame till it becomes red hot.
• Place the charcoal in a small bowl and keep the bowl carefully over the dal. Then pour 1/4 tsp of ghee over the hot charcoal and it starts fuming. Keep covered for 2 to 3 minutes, so that the fuming charcoal flavour will be locked. Open the lid and remove the bowl.

For Tempering

• Heat ghee in a small tadka pan, add garlic, jeera, red chilli and hing.
• Switch Off flame and add red chilli powder. Then pour the tempered ingredients over the dal.

  Serve this restaurant style dal tadka with coconut milk pulao.

Notes

Tips for Restaurant Style Dal Tadka

1. Dal combination can be altered as per preference - toor dal, channa dal, moong dal or masoor dal can be used or it can be made with anyone type also. I used toor dal and channa dal.
2. Soaking the dal before pressure cooking helps in fast cooking of dal.
3. Adjust chilli and chilli powder as per spice level required for this dal tadka recipe.
4. If preferred, 1 tsp of kasuri methi leaves can be added (Step 4) for more flavour.
5. Dhungar method (Step 6) is optional, but the fumes from charcoal lends an excellent aroma.
6. Always use natural charcoal only. Never use instant / chemical-based charcoal which spoils the dish and harmful also.
7. In the dhungar method, you can place a small piece of onion, garlic or even garam masala powder along with charcoal. Each ingredient gives a different smell.
8. Keep the fuming charcoal over the dal for minimum of 2 minutes. Also, don't forget to cover with a lid, so the flavours get locked.
9. Do the tempering at last only and tempering in ghee adds a wonderful taste.
10. If you are calorie conscious, do the tempering with oil for this restaurant style dal tadka.

Keyword Dal Tadka Recipe, Restaurant Style Dal Tadka

Restaurant Style Dal Tadka Recipe

Method for Dal Tadka Recipe

1. Chop onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, green chilli and coriander leaves finely. Then keep the ingredients ready for tempering.

2. Rinse all the dal well and soak in water for 30 minutes, soaking helps in fast cooking. Then pour 2.5 cups of water and pressure cook it for 5 to 6 whistles. Once the pressure subsides by itself, open the lid and mash it well. In a pan, pour oil, then add onion, garlic, ginger, green chilli and saute till transparent.

3. Add tomato and saute till it turns mushy, now pour the mashed dal.

4. Add turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt and cook covered for 5 to 6 minutes on low flame. The consistency of the dal should be medium, not watery or too thick.

5. Add coriander leaves and keep the pan by side. For the dhungar method: hold the charcoal with tongs and show it in direct flame till it becomes red hot.

6. Place the charcoal in a small bowl and keep the bowl carefully over the dal. Then pour 1/4 tsp of ghee over the hot charcoal and it starts fuming. Keep covered for 2 to 3 minutes, so that the fuming charcoal flavour will be locked. Open the lid and remove the bowl.

7. For Tempering: Heat ghee in a small tadka pan, add garlic, jeera, red chilli and hing.

8. Switch Off the flame and add red chilli powder. Then pour the tempered ingredients over the dal.

Serve this restaurant style dal tadka with coconut milk pulao.

Dal Tadka Recipe