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Recipe

Dal tadka

Indian & South Asian · 50 min · EasyVegan

Soft yellow lentils finished with a sizzling tempering of cumin, garlic and chili in oil.

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A bowl of yellow dal topped with a tempering of dried red chilies and spices

Photo: Anil Sharma on Unsplash

Dal tadka is everyday comfort food across India: soft, golden lentils finished at the table with a sizzling pour of spiced oil. That final step, the tadka, is where all the flavor comes from, so don't skip it.

This version is vegan, using oil instead of the traditional ghee. Serve it with rice or flatbread and a squeeze of lemon.

Dal tadka recipe

By FeastPick Kitchen · Updated October 11, 2026

Prep
10 min
Cook
40 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4

Ingredients

For the dal

  • 1 cup (200 g) toor dal (split pigeon peas) or yellow split peas, rinsed well
  • 4 cups (950 ml) water
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

For the tadka

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 dried red chilies
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
  • 1 green chili, slit lengthwise (optional)
  • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder or sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

To finish

  • Juice of half a lemon
  • A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

Instructions

  1. Put the rinsed dal, water and turmeric in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30 to 35 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft and falling apart. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
  2. Whisk the dal for a few seconds to make it creamy, stir in the salt, and keep it warm over low heat.
  3. For the tadka, heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and dried chilies and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the onion and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden. Add the garlic, ginger and green chili and cook for 1 minute more.
  5. Stir in the tomato and chili powder and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the tomato softens.
  6. Pour the hot tadka into the dal, stir, and simmer together for 2 minutes. Stir in the garam masala and lemon juice, taste for salt, and top with cilantro.

Tips

  • Using a pressure cooker or Instant Pot? Cook the dal on high pressure for 8 minutes, then release naturally.
  • Red lentils (masoor dal) also work and cook in about 20 minutes, giving a softer, smoother dal.

Storing leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days. It thickens as it cools; loosen with hot water when reheating.

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