Super quick, delicious and extremely flavorful Dhaba Style Dal Fry recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Dal Fry recipe or Dal Tadka recipe is a tasty & healthy side dish that goes well with both roti & rice!
Dhaba Style Dal Fry is a super flavorful, simple and quick lentil curry made with two different types of dals – toor dal & moong dal. It is such a rustic recipe, with two types of tempering to flavor & spice it. Dhaba Style recipes are known to be fragrant, bursting with flavors and a bit rustic – this dal fry recipe is all that and more. It can be such a comfort food, served with some hot rice and rotis. Making this dhaba style dal tadka at home also means that it is easier to control the amount of oil & spices, adjust it per our taste preferences. Check out the recipe below and give it a try!
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Key Ingredients
Toor Dal – split pigeon peas and Moong Dal – split petite yellow lentils are two different types of pulses we use in making this dhaba style dal tadka recipe.
Onions and Tomatoes are used to flavor the dal.
Lots of Finely Chopped Garlic is added to the dal with the first tempering and also added on top of the dal before serving in the second tempering.
Spice Powders like Red Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander Powder are used to flavor the dal.
Green Chillies and Finely Chopped Ginger are a must to spice the dal fry.
Whole spices like Cumin Seeds & Dry Red Chillies are also used for the tempering.
For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.
Tips & Important Notes for Making Dhaba Style Dal Fry
Making this Dhaba Style Dal Fry Tadka is very easy and simple. It is a beginner-friendly recipe that never fails to work. Below notes and tips should help if you give this recipe a try!
Toor Dal and Moong Dal have different cooking times. We will use the pressure cooker to cook the lentils but soaking them in hot water for 15-20 mins can fasten the cooking process.
Dal Tadka can be creamy or textured depending on how well the lentils are cooked. For this recipe, I prefer to gently mash the cooked dal – moong dal adds to the creaminess, toor dal adds to the texture.
It is important to cook the dal on low flame for 15 mins for all the flavor to seep in. I let it simmer for as long as I can, which makes the dal fry very flavorful.
It is not Dal Tadka or Dal Fry without the tempering. In this recipe, I temper the dal twice and the second tempering is such a game changer. It is a spice infused oil that is full of garlic flavor, never miss it for the authentic taste.
Substitutions & Variations
It is optional to use different types of dals in this day fry recipe and it can made with just toor dal.
This recipe also works out great with masoor dal.
It is optional to use garlic and onions but it adds a lot of flavor to the dal fry.
Serving Suggestions
Dhaba Style Dal Fry is best served hot with any Indian bread, plain rice or pulao. The second tempering should preferably be added just before serving for great visual appeal. Dal fry stores well when refrigerated in an airtight container. It can also be frozen and thawed, before reheated & served again.
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Dhaba Style Dal Fry Recipe with Step by Step Pictures
First wash ¼ cup toor dal and 2 tablespoon moong dal, add enough water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.
Let the pressure drop naturally before opening the cooker. Both the dals should be cooked soft. Gently mash the dals and set aside.
In a heavy pan heat 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon ghee. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, as they begin to pop, add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida along with 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic. Fry for a few seconds.
Now add 1 medium onion finely chopped along with 1 green chilli finely chopped.
As the onions are fried until golden brown, add 1 small tomato finely chopped along with ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and the spice powders are cooked on low flame.
Next add the mashed dal. Mix well.
Add ~½ to 1 cup of water to adjust the consistency of the dal. Add salt as needed.
Cook on low flame covered for 12-15mins until the dal is thick and flavorful.
Garnish with 2-3 stalks of coriander finely chopped.
Meanwhile make the second tempering by heating 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon ghee in a small pan. Add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida, 2 dry red chillies and 5-6 garlic cloves finely chopped. As the garlic turns light golden brown, add ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder and remove from heat. Add on top of the dal fry before serving.
Serve Dal Tadka Fry hot/warm with rice, any Indian bread or pulao. I served it with Methi Thepla.
Recipe Notes
- Adjust spices as per preference.
- The second tempering is optional but is highly recommended.
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
📖 Recipe
Dhaba Style Dal Fry | Dal Fry Tadka Recipe
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
To Pressure Cook
- ¼ cup Toor Dal
- 2 tablespoon Moong Dal
Tempering 1
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida/Hing
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Finely Chopped
- 1 teaspoon Garlic Finely Chopped
- 1 Green Chilli Finely Chopped
- 1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped
- 1 Small Tomato Finely Chopped
- ½ teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- Salt as needed
- Water as needed
- 2-3 Coriander Stalks Finely Chopped
Tempering 2
- 1 teaspoon Oil
- 1 teaspoon Ghee
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida
- ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
- 5-6 Garlic Finely Chopped
- 2 Dry Red Chillies
Instructions
- First wash ¼ cup toor dal and 2 tablespoon moong dal, add enough water and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles on medium flame.
- Let the pressure drop naturally before opening the cooker. Both the dals should be cooked soft. Gently mash the dals and set aside.
- In a heavy pan heat 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon ghee. Add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, as they begin to pop, add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida along with 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic. Fry for a few seconds.
- Now add 1 medium onion finely chopped along with 1 green chilli finely chopped.
- As the onions are fried until golden brown, add 1 small tomato finely chopped along with ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
- Cook until the tomatoes are mushy and the spice powders are cooked on low flame.
- Next add the mashed dal. Mix well.
- Add ~½ to 1 cup of water to adjust the consistency of the dal. Add salt as needed.
- Cook on low flame covered for 12-15mins until the dal is thick and flavorful.
- Garnish with 2-3 stalks of coriander finely chopped.
- Meanwhile make the second tempering by heating 1 teaspoon oil and 1 teaspoon ghee in a small pan. Add ¼ teaspoon asafoetida, 2 dry red chillies and 5-6 garlic cloves finely chopped. As the garlic turns light golden brown, add ¼ teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder and remove from heat. Add on top of the dal fry before serving.
- Serve Dal Tadka Fry hot/warm with rice, any Indian Bread or pulao. I served it with Methi Thepla.
Notes
- Adjust spices as per preference.
- The second tempering is optional but is highly recommended.
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