Looking for a cozy, comforting dal? This masoor dal (red lentil dal) topped with crispy garlic oil is easy and flavorful.
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What is Masoor Dal?
Masoor dal is also known as red lentils that are cooked in water until they disintegrate into a thick, soupy liquid. I ate some form of bean or lentil dish almost every day growing up. Years later, I developed a recipe for a fun weeknight dal. You build a flavorful base for your lentils with onion, garlic, tomato, and spices. Once the lentils are cooked, you mix the liquid into the base and top it with a crispy garlic oil topping, otherwise known as a tadka (What is a tadka?). A tadka is a mixture of spices sizzled in oil. You can use any sort of spices you’d like, from cumin seeds to coriander seeds to ground chili powder. In this case, I opt for thinly sliced pieces of garlic (inspired by Nik Sharma’s recipe) and mustard seeds in my tadka. To finish the dal, you pour the sizzling garlicky oil on top of the liquid for an even more robust flavor. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime for acidity, and the dish is done.
How can I adapt this masoor dal recipe?
There are so many options for flexibility here. You absolutely can omit either the base (tomato onion mixture) or the tadka. In fact, most dals traditionally don’t have both a starting tadka (used to make the base) and a finishing tadka — I happen to like it for the additional flavor. You can swap out the lentils for another kind, but keep in mind, red lentils do not need soaking and cook quickly, unlike some of the other varieties. You can add ginger, or swap out the spices for your own flavor profile.
Use this recipe more as a guide than a “strict” set of instructions. I’d love to see what you come up with!
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What should the texture of dal be?
The optimal texture depends on your own preference — but generally, you want the lentils to almost fully disintegrate into a mushy texture. Some people like dal quite soupy, while others like a thicker puree. You can always add more water. Additionally, when lentils cool, they will thicken so you may need to add more water later on (or if reheating the dish).
My spices burned when making tadka. Can I still use the oil?
No. Unfortunately, burnt spices taste bitter and inedible. You’ll need to throw the oil/spice mixture out and redo it.
What type of pan should I use for making tadka?
You want to use the smallest, narrowest pan you have. The reason for this is that you’re essentially trying to fry the spices in the oil. So, if you use a larger pan, you can still make the tadka, but you may need to tilt the pan to ensure the spices are fully submerged/coated in the oil. There is also a special type of small pan called a tadka pan that you can purchase if you make Indian food often — see here for more details on a tadka pan.
Did you try this recipe? I would love to hear your feedback! Be sure to rate the recipe and leave a comment below.
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Happy eating! Love, KarishmaMasoor Dal Tadka (Red Lentil Dal Tadka)
Ingredients
Masoor Dal:
- 200 g red lentils, about 1 packed cup
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, or ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 large red onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 serrano chili, slit in half lengthwise; or, substitute 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri (mild) chili powder
- 1 plum or roma tomato, diced with the juices
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Crispy Garlic Tadka:
- 1 tablespoon canola oil, or ghee
- 1 large garlic clove or 2 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds, optional
To Finish:
- A handful of cilantro, minced, for garnish
- A squeeze of lime, for garnish
- Cooked white rice or chapati, to serve alongside the dal
Instructions
Make the Masoor Dal:
- Rinse the lentils: In a fine mesh strainer, rinse the lentils with water a few times to remove any dirt or debris. Drain the lentils and transfer to a medium (3-quart) stock pot with 3 cups of water.200 g red lentils
- Cook the lentils: Set the stock pot over high heat and bring to a boil. Using a spoon, skim off any of the white foam that comes to the surface. Stir in the turmeric. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, or until the lentils are extremely tender and have disintegrated into a somewhat mushy, soupy consistency but still retain some texture. Note: If you notice the water has reduced too much, you can add an additional 1/2 cup of water until it's reached your desired consistency.1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Cook the aromatics: Meanwhile, set a saute pan with oil over medium heat. Add in the cumin seeds and saute until they begin to sizzle.1 tablespoon canola oil, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- Immediately add the red onion and saute for about 8 to 10 minutes until onions are soft, translucent in the middle, and lightly browned on the edges. Note: You're looking for a golden brown color here, not burnt onions.1 large red onion
- Add the garlic and green chili, and saute for 1 minute until aromatic.2 garlic cloves, 1 serrano chili
- Stir in the tomato. Simmer until the tomatoes break down and the tomato-onion mixture resembles a thick, almost paste-like consistency, about 7 to 8 minutes.1 plum or roma tomato
- Add the garam masala and ground coriander. Season to taste with salt and pepper. At this point, the mixture should taste slightly saltier and full of spice than you'd like it. Once you add the lentils, the flavor will be diluted, so feel free to adjust as necessary if you want more spice or salt.1 teaspoon garam masala, 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander, Salt and black pepper
- Once the lentils are cooked, add them to the saute pan and stir, simmering for 1 minute. Season again with salt, pepper, or other spices if necessary.
Make the Crispy Garlic Tadka:
- While the lentils simmer with the aromatics, set a small pan with the oil over medium heat.1 tablespoon canola oil
- Add the garlic and let sizzle until they just begin to turn a pale golden brown color on one side. Flip the garlic and cook on the other side until both sides are pale golden.1 large garlic clove or 2 small garlic cloves
- Add the mustard seeds. Once the seeds sizzle and pop, immediately take the tadka off the heat and pour over the dal.1 teaspoon brown or black mustard seeds
Finish the Dish:
- Garnish with a handful of cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately with rice or chapati.A handful of cilantro, A squeeze of lime, Cooked white rice or chapati
Humaira G
Hey thanks for the recipe! What would you do differently if this was Moong daal (yellow lentils)?
Karishma
Hi Humaira!
Moong dal takes significantly longer to cook compared to masoor dal, so I’d definitely soak it for a few hours to speed up that process (especially if cooking on the stove). If you have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, it will be much faster. Other than the longer time to cook, the recipe can easily be used for moong dal as well with the same flavorings. I’d cook the moong dal separately, and while it’s cooking, saute the onion/garlic/spices, then stir the dal in and top with the finishing tadka. Let me know if you have any more questions on this!