On one of those days…
Sometimes, you just want to get away from the hoohaas and settle down with something simple and wholesome. With all the festivities and holiday humdrum going around, food has taken the centrestage. Recently our meals have comprised of anything and everything from being fancy to exotic.
But today, I just felt like taking things easy. With the thick blanket of snow outside, i just want to cuddle on my couch, watch a good movie and have a simple and satisfying lunch. And there’s nothing simpler I can think of than a big bowl of rice, drowned in Dal (Indian lentils). As I have said many times before, Dal is cooked in many ways all over India. I, myself, make atleast ten or more variations of it.
This recipe is one that me and hubby crave for after every couple of days. It hardly takes any time and effort, but yet still feels like a meal fit for a King. Afterall, are we no less?
Tadka Dal (Lentils with a Spicy Tempering)

Ingredients:
- 1 cup red lentils (lal masoor)
- 2 cups water
- 1 small onion sliced
- 2-3 green chillies, chopped
- 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped
- 2 cloved of garlic, sliced
- salt, to taste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
- a pinch of asafoetida powder (hing)
- 1 tbsp ghee
Method:
- Boil lentils with onions, tomato, green chillies, garlic and turmeric powder till lentils soften and pulp. Add salt and stir well.
- In a small frying pan, make tempering by heating ghee and frying cumin seeds, fennel seeds, red chili powder and asafoetida powder till it all starts to sizzle.
- Add tempering into dal and stir well.
Serve warm over rice.

December 9th, 2005 13:41
Ah ! finally i found someone posting red masoor dal recipe. shall try it tomorow.
priya,ar
December 9th, 2005 13:43
i always love a little garlic with the tempering.. don’t know why… Anthonyskitchen
December 9th, 2005 13:44
I have already writtten the recipe. Will cook tomorrow and photograph it lol….
December 9th, 2005 15:54
dhal is my favourite with chapatti!!
December 9th, 2005 16:14
Priya: Let me how it goes Priya, and thanks for visiting! :o)
Anthony: I love garlic too. I think it really perks up the flavour of the dish.
Rokh: Hi Rokh! I like it with chapatis when the dal is nice and thick; and LOVE it with rice when its a little watery!
Thanks a lot for stopping by guys! See you soon.
December 9th, 2005 16:57
Meena, I love your recipes, they are all new to me and I can’t wait to try some of them!
December 9th, 2005 17:58
Hi Michele!
You should definitely try them. I know you’ll enjoy the varied flavours in every dish, after all, Indian food rocks! ;o)
December 10th, 2005 01:03
I thought ‘tempering’ was a word only used by my family!!! Hehe!!
Looks great!! I too love dal!! I usually put a little bit of coconut milk in to make it thicker.
December 10th, 2005 13:52
I havent treid with red lentils. Will give a try this week.
December 12th, 2005 13:31
Meena I tried your Red lentil recipe this morning. It turned out so tasty. My husband really liked it. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
December 12th, 2005 17:44
I’m going to the kitchen to see if I have the ingredients right now! I’m starved!
Paz
December 12th, 2005 17:52
Ummm… what is asafoetida?
Paz
December 12th, 2005 17:58
Priya: Your most welcome Priya1 I’m so glad you both liked it.
Paz: Definitely try it out Paz, wonderful and easy for this cold season.
Asafoetida is a kind of spice powder readily available at the local Indian grocery store. It is called as “Hing” in hindi and is often used in the tempering of Dal. You can just omit it if you don’t have it, it won’t affect the recipe much.
Hope you like it!
December 12th, 2005 22:20
Yay! I made it! I’m excited! Thanks for the explanation of the Asafoetida. I’ll have to look for it and left it out this time, since I didn’t have it. Also, I didn’t have any red lentils on hand and used the green lentils instead. Despite that my meal tasted GREAT! I’ll probably blog about it tomorrow. THANKS, Meena.
Paz (Very satisfied and happy!)
March 19th, 2006 14:02
I have always wondered the difference between tadka dal and dal fry. The method of preparation seems pretty similar.
Can you clarify the difference between them.
Thanks in advance,
Orshoe
Hi Orshoe, thanks for dropping in. If you notice both the recipes, their methods of preparation differ slightly. In Dal Tadka, you first cook the dal by boiling it in water with tomatoes and spices. The takda (tempering) is added on top of the cooked dal to intensify and add in more flavour. However, for Dal Fry, plain boiled dal is add to a flavourbase made of onions, tomatoes and spices and cooked through. Even though they may seem sismilar, both these dishes differ in taste due to the difference in their preparation.
March 22nd, 2006 10:48
Meena,
Thanks for the information. I am sure i can now make them properly.
I just have another question about another dal.
How do you make the Palak dal?
I had it recently at a restaurant and i loved it.
Orshoe.
Hi Orshoe! You’re most welcome. If you go to my Recipe List, under the “Soups and Salads” section, you’ll find a recipe for Palak Dal. Let me know how it goes!
December 30th, 2006 06:05
hi meena, thx for the great recipe. I used regular dhal with your recipe months ago, and everyone enjoys it. I used plenty of serranos and anaheim chilis to kick up a notch hehe, dip them with my leftovers green onion pancakes, and its absolutely delicious !! Will definitely try these red lentils u reco on my next dhal excursion
thanks 
March 24th, 2007 05:37
Hi…I keep reading all your recipes but had never really tried any…kept looking at the yummy photos. Somehow i kept thinking its never going to turn out as tasty as it looks. I finally tried this masoor dal recipe today..and its wonderful. Thanks a lot for sharing these recipes, and this is a really nice site.
March 3rd, 2008 22:34
Hey Meena,
Thanks for the recipe.. I am a toddler in cooking.. Somehow enjoying it during my short stay in US.. Let me tell you, yours was the simplest recipe which anyone can understand.. Thanks.. Going to try it now
Thanks Saurabh, do let me know how it goes!