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Restaurant Style Dal Fry

Aanchal Gupta
A popular lentil dish served in Indian restaurants where a combination of 3 lentils are cooked and topped with onions,tomatoes ginger,garlic and spices.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup mixed dals-1/3 each of Yellow Moong Orange Masoor and Arhar/Toor
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric/Haldi
  • 1 tsp salt or as needed

For Tarka/Vaghar

  • 2 Tbsp Ghee/Butter or Oil use oil for vegan option
  • 1 small onion chopped
  • 1 to mato chopped
  • 1 tsp Ginger minced
  • 1 tsp garlic minced
  • 1 tsp Green Chilies Minced
  • 1 tsp Cumin/Jeera
  • 1/2 tsp Paprika/Kashmiri Lal Mirch optional
  • 3 Dry Red Chilies
  • 1/8 tsp Garam Masala
  • 2 tsp Kasoori Methi
  • Few Curry Leaves
  • Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
  • Generous squeeze of lemon/lime juice

Instructions
 

  • Soak mixed dal for a couple of hours(optional)
  • Add 3 cups water to the dal and cook with salt and turmeric in a pressure cooker,about 4 whistles or cook in an open pot till almost done.
  • While the Dal cooks, prepare the tarka/vaghar

For Tarka/Vaghar

  • In a small pan heat Ghee/Butter/Oil and add Cumin/Jeera and let it crackle.
  • Add onions and cook till light brown.
  • Add curry leaves and Dry Red chilies and stir.
  • Add Ginger,Garlic and green Chilies and cook till the raw smell goes away.
  • Add Asafoetida/Hing and Kasoori Methi and stir.
  • Add Tomatoes and cook till they turn soft and ghee separates.
  • Add Paprika and Garam Masala, stir and mix it to boiling dal.
  • Boil together for few minutes till tarka mixes well and dal thickens a bit.
  • Squeeze some lemon/lime juice and top with chopped cilantro/coriander.

Notes

Soaking the dal is optional, though I always do as it removes toxins and reduces flatulence. If cooking in a pot instead of pressure cooker, it will take longer and water should be adjusted accordingly. This dal is a little thick,after adding tarka cook till the dal and tarka blend in. If water is floating on top and dal is at the bottom, it needs to be cooked some more.
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