I make this one almost every time I cook Indian. It gets made a lot. Probably the dish I cook the most.
Tarka dhal is super simple to make. You cook some lentils with a little turmeric. Cook them until they are mush. And then you make a seasoning. That’s the tarka.
It’s as easy as frying up a bit of onion and spices. Mix it up and eat. It’s delicious.
Satisfying. And healthy. Hard not to like that. And nobody knows about it. At least where I live.
In Indian households, we eat our dal with roti, rice, or dosa. With the carb component you have a complete protein and an amazing meal at that. I encourage folks that take my classes to think of dal as a side to bread and/or rice or as a soup.
Stretch your dinner budget
Lentils are cheap. Masoor dhal is really cheap. It’s satisfying. Filling. It is stick to your ribs food.
And it works great with rice. Like those lush curry sauces that you love. The ones that you just want mix into your rice because it’s just so tasty.
I’m not saying that you’ll like it better than your favourite curry. But I am saying that you can serve less of that favourite curry and put serve tasty tarka dhal alongside.
And everyone will be happy. They might even be happier. Because variety is the spice of life. More great flavours on the plate. How can that be a bad thing?
You need to try tarka dhal
It’s a funny thing. This is how it goes when I go out for Indian with friends.
“Let’s get a dopiaza.”
“OK, and a jalfrezi.”
“Sure, and how about a madras?”
“Anyone up for a vindaloo?”
Then I pipe up. “How about a tarka dhal?”
“Tarka what? Is that lamb? I don’t like lamb.”
Nobody ever wants to order tarka dhal. Nobody seems to know what it is. I always get pushback.
Then they taste it.
“What did you say these lentils are called? They’re awesome.”
Dal: Easy Indian Comfort Food
FAQ
How do you eat dal in India?
How do you eat dal with rice?
Is dal eaten like soup?