Dal Tadka (Dhaba Style)

Restaurant-style Dal Tadka which is tempered with ghee, garlic, and aromatic spices! This Tadka dal has a smoky flavor from dhungar which gives you a dhaba like feeling!

It is a comforting, flavorful, and hearty Indian Lentil dish, made with Tuvar dal (husked & split pigeon pea lentils). This wholesome creamy dal tastes delicious with Jeera rice or Tandoori roti.

Make this delicious restaurant-style tadka dal at home using an instant pot or traditional stovetop pressure cooker in under 45 minutes with a handful of simple ingredients.

Jump to:

• Dal Tadka
• Ingredients required
• Step by step Process
• Notes, pro-tips, and quick FAQs
• More Dal recipes
• Dal Tadka (Dhaba Style)

Dal (dhal or daal) is one of the most versatile, healthy, filling, and delicious side dishes. It is a great source of plant-based protein.

Dal and Rice are the staple food in almost every Indian home. Every Indian state has its own traditionally famous dal recipes which are made using different varieties of lentils.

Dal can be made thick or thin and with any kind of lentil.

There is one variety of dal from North India called Dal Tadka. It is very famous throughout Indian and you will always find it in almost every Indian restaurant.

Dal Tadka

Dal Tadka is one of the most popular lentil dishes served in Indian restaurants. It is cooked lentils that are tempered with oil or ghee-fried spices.

The literal translation of Dal Tadka is

• Dal means lentil and
• Tadka means tempering.

Tadka or chaunk (in Hindi) is a term we often use in Indian cooking for the process of adding seasoning to a dish on the top. chaunk elevates the dish to a whole new level.

There are two ways we make this recipe.

One is a simple recipe and another is the restaurant-style.

The restaurant-style flavors come from smoking the dal using red-hot charcoal. However, most home recipes are quite simple and do not need this step.

I make this recipe both the way, restaurant-style, and every day method.

Both ways, this recipe tastes great but the simple method of smoking with the Dhungar method makes the dal tadka so much flavorful and tasty.

So today I am sharing restaurant-style/dhaba style dal tadka recipe. It is very close to my heart and my families favorite dish.

Making tasty restaurants or dhaba quality flavorful dal at home is easy and does not take much of your time. With some techniques and tips, you can get restaurant-quality dal at home. 🙂 So do try this recipe.

This lentil dish is easy to make, uses very basic ingredients, and comes together in under 45 minutes. You can cook the lentil base in an instant pot or a traditional Indian stovetop pressure cooker.

Ingredients required

The ingredients used for tadka dal are simple pantry staple ones and easily available in every Indian home.

Lentil/dal – I always make my dal tadka with tuvar dal or arhar dal also known as split pigeon pea lentils. But some even use yellow dal also known as moong dal or the combination of both the dals to make the recipe.

Tomatoes, and onions for the base - Choose Fresh tomatoes and onions. Don't substitute fresh tomatoes with canned tomatoes. You can use any variety - red, white, or brown- onion.

Ginger and green chili - always use fresh ginger and green chili. pound some them in your mortar and pestle for this recipe. It makes a huge difference in this recipe.

Salt and turmeric powder

Ghee - Ghee imparts so many flavors to the dal. If you are not vegan, please don't skip or substitute this ingredient. I have used ghee 3 times in this recipe.

• 1. while boiling the dal,
• 2. in tempering and
• 3. In double tadka

Tempering – I use ghee, red dried chilis, curry leaves, cumin seeds, grated garlic, hing, and red chili powder for the tadka. Use only fresh grated garlic or fresh minced garlic for the best flavors. I use a regular variety of red chili powder in my first tadka and for double tadka, I have used Kashmiri red chili powder. Also don't skip asafetida to give the tadka as it lends it a very delicious flavor.

Kasuri methi – it enhances the flavor and aroma

Garam masala – You can use homemade or store bought

Lemon juice and cilantro for the fresh flavors.

Step by step Process

Pre-prep

Rinse the dal at least 2 to 3 times, rubbing with your fingers. You should see the water cleaned during your last rinse. Now add 3 cups of water and soak the dal for 30 minutes.

Once the dal is soaked, drain all the water using a strainer and keep the soaked dal aside.

The next prep step is crushing the ginger and green chili. Take chopped green chilies and chopped fresh ginger in a mortar and pestle. Crush them coarsely. You can use a blender too. Keep it aside.

Dal base

To a stovetop pressure cooker, heat ghee. Once the ghee is hot, add crushed chili and ginger, sauté for few seconds. Now add chopped onions and tomatoes. Saute them for about 1 to 2 minutes.

Then add soaked and drained toor dal, 3 cups of water, salt, and turmeric powder. Stir, cover the pressure cooker with its lid.

Pressure cook for 4 whistles on high heat. Let the pressure release naturally. Set it aside.

(Note - In Instant Pot, follow the same steps and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes with natural pressure release).

First Tempering

In a heavy bottom pot/pan, heat ghee on medium heat. Once hot, add the cumin seeds, red dried chilies, curry leaves, grated garlic, and hing. Saute for few seconds until fragrant.

Now add red chili powder, mix and immediately add the boiled dal mixture to the pot and mix.

(note - add dal in tadka immediately after adding chili powder or else the chili powder might burn and it won't taste good)

Add kasuri methi, garam masala and ½ cup water. Let the dal simmer for 5 minutes.

Once dal is simmered, add cilantro and lemon juice. Mix and let the dal cook for 2 more minutes.

Switch off the flame.

Note – Next step is optional but highly recommended to get the restaurant/dhaba like the taste.

Dhungar method

Place a trivet inside the dal pot. Place a steel bowl on top of a trivet.

Then heat a piece of charcoal over direct heat until it’s red hot.

Place hot charcoal in that steel bowl on top of the trivet. Pour ½ tablespoon ghee on top of the charcoal. You will immediately see fumes coming out of charcoal.

Immediately close the pot with a lid. Let the pot closed for 5 minutes. After 5 remove the lid and remove the charcoal bowl from the dal.

Stir the dal.

Serving

At the time of serving, I like to top the dal with double tadka (second tempering). This step is optional but recommended.

heat ½ tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Once the ghee is hot, add cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon grated garlic.

Cook for few seconds or until the garlic starts changing color.

Now add Kashmiri red chili powder remove the pan from heat.

Take this tempering into a bowl

At the time of serving, top the dal with this tempering, garnish it with more cilantro and enjoy Dal tadka with Jeera rice, Tandoori roti, or plain rice.

Notes, pro-tips, and quick FAQs

• Once the dal is prepared, it would thicken as it is rested. Hence you may need to add water and bring it to the right consistency while reheating it.
• I would highly recommend not to skip the ghee as it adds lots of flavors to the dal.
• The consistency of the dal is important. It should be neither too thin nor too thick, so add in the water as per the recipe.
• The spice level of this dish is 3.5 out of 5. Adjust it according to your taste.
• The double tadka (second tempering) is optional but highly recommended. It elevates this recipe to a whole new level.

More Dal recipes

• Dal Palak | Spinach Dal (In pressure cooker)
• Mango Dal | Mamidikiya Pappu (Instant Pot + Stovetop)
• Instant Pot Coconut Spinach Lentil Curry

Warm regards,

Dhwani.