There’s something about a bowl of dal that just feels like home.
Comforting, nourishing and surprisingly light, Dal Fry is a South Indian classic we come back to again and again. Made with protein-packed red lentils and a fragrant mix of cumin, curry leaves and other spices, it’s a dish that loves your gut as much as your taste buds!
Our versions may change with the seasons, but this one’s a house favourite. The secret? A beautiful tadka — that magical moment when spices are sizzled in oil, then stirred through the dal for a rich, hearty flavour that warms you from the inside out.
Ingredients:
1.5 cup masoor dal (red split lentils), rinsed thoroughly
2 tbsp rice bran oil
1.5 tbsp cumin seeds
10g fresh curry leaves
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 green chilli, sliced
1 large or 2 small red onions, diced
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
2-3 ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 tbsp coriander powder
1/2 tbsp cumin powder
1/4 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp garam masala
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
Salt to taste
Method:
- To make the dal. Add lentils, 1/4 tbsp salt, 1/4 tbsp turmeric and 3 cups of water to a pot.
- Bring to a boil, skimming the ‘gunk’ off the top. Bring to a simmer on medium heat until the lentils have become soft and mushy. Add hot water as needed to thin it out, if the lentils need longer.
- To make the Tadka. Heat a pan with oil, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a minute, stirring.
- Add minced garlic, curry leaves, and chilli. Stir and keep tempering (you should be able to hear the ‘popping’ of the curry leaves.) Temper until the garlic is light brown in colour.
- Add red onion, and fry until the onions are translucent.
- Add ginger, and the garlic paste, stirring vigorously to avoid burning.
- Then add tomatoes. Increase the heat to high, stirring the tomatoes for 2 minutes, then turn heat to low, and gently simmer until tomatoes soften.
- Add all the remaining dry spices. Stir vigorously to avoid burning again.
- To finish. Add the Tadka into the cooked lentils and top off with fresh chopped coriander.
