Dal fry is a popular Punjabi comfort food in homes, in restaurants, and at highway truck-stop eateries called dhabas. One of the best parts of taking a road trip in India is stopping at dhabas, where they usually have a signature dal fry served with jeera rice, naan (flatbread baked in a tandoor clay oven), thinly sliced red onions, and a lemon wedge. My mom made dal fry weekly, and I follow the same tradition in my home with a precooked toor dal topped with fresh tadka (tempered spices) just before serving. This easy dal fry is perfect for a weeknight and goes well with rice, roti (Indian flatbread cooked on a stovetop pan), naan, or a crusty sourdough toast on the side. The bold flavors from the tadka complement the thick, luscious consistency of the dal fry, thanks to the addition of a couple of tablespoons of split masoor dal.
This recipe and 85 other vegetarian recipes combining the power of dal and rice can be found in Dal Chawal by Sapna Punjabi.
Ingredients
1 cup (200 g) toor dal/split pigeon peas
2 tablespoons masoor dal/split red lentils
3 cups (720 ml) water
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
FIRST TADKA
2 tablespoons (30 g) ghee or unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 dried Kashmiri red chile
1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 Thai green chiles, finely chopped
1 large red onion, finely chopped
½ pound (225 g) tomatoes, finely chopped
½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon deggi mirch chili powder
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon amchur/dried mango powder
½ teaspoon garam masala (page 40)
1½ teaspoons kasuri methi/dried fenugreek leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
SECOND TADKA
1 tablespoon (15 g) ghee or unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon hing/asafoetida powder
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
FOR SERVING
Thinly sliced red onions
Salt
Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Method
Combine the toor and masoor dal in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear, about a minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, add water to cover by 2 inches (5 cm), and soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Drain.
In a 3-quart (3 L) pot, combine the dal, water, salt, and turmeric. Partially cover and cook over medium heat, skimming off any foam, until the dal is soft and mushy when pressed between your fingers, about 40 minutes, uncovering the pot every 10 minutes to stir so that the dal doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add more water as necessary; the consistency of the cooked dal should be thick and not very soupy.
In a large skillet, warm the ghee over medium heat. Add the cumin, Kashmiri chile, ginger, garlic, and green chiles and sauté for 30 to 40 seconds. Add the chopped onions and sauté, stirring regularly, until the onions are light golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes and salt and cook until the tomatoes soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the deggi mirch, turmeric, coriander, mango powder, and garam masala. Mix well and cook for another minute.
Add the cooked dal to the skillet and mix well. Crush the fenugreek leaves between your palms and add to the pot, along with cilantro. Stir well and let the dal simmer over low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until ready to serve. Season to taste with salt.
When ready to serve, make the second tadka: In a small skillet, warm the ghee over medium heat until hot. Add the asafoetida and onions and sauté, stirring constantly, until the onions are golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the Kashmiri powder and immediately pour over the dal fry.
Serve warm with sliced red onions, salt, and lemon wedges for squeezing. Squeeze lemon juice over the dal and red onions before eating.
TIPS
To cook the soaked dals in an electric pressure cooker, pressure-cook at high temperature for 6 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid.
For a vegan version, use peanut, sunflower, or vegetable oil of choice instead of ghee/butter.
