The world might think of India as a land of curries, but the true staple of any meal from any region has got to be dal. There is a multitude of different pulses that can be used to make the dish plus a host of different preparations with every region adapting the spices to fit their own local masalas and palates. Rich, poor, vegetarian, non-vegetarian, everybody loves dal and for many, it’s the nutritious, comfort food for any situation.
Two of the most common preparations that pop-up on every restaurant menu are Dal Fry and Dal Tadka. And while they’re often ordered interchangeably, have you ever stopped to wonder what the differences are between them? Overall they can seem very similar, usually made with a base of toor and moong dal, and with added spices for flavour, but there are a few key differences in the ingredients and the process that give them their own unique flavours.
For Dal Fry, vegetables like tomato and onion whole and spices are cooked off in a lot of butter, ghee or oil and the cooked dal is then added to that mixture and stirred through. This adds a lot of texture and additional flavours throughout the dal. But for Dal Tadka, vegetables are rarely used with garlic, dried chillies and ground spices being flash-fried in searing hot ghee or oil and then poured over the cooked dal. This results in a separate layer of spices on top that can then be stirred through the dish.
The spice combinations used are completely up to your personal taste, but the different methods are really the core differences here. Both are popular dinner accompaniments and quite easy to make, so now you know the secrets, it’s time to try them for yourself.
Dal Fry
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup toor dal
- ¼ cup moong dal
- 3 cup water
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 dried red chilli
- 8-20 curry leaves
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 green chilli (finely chopped)
- ¼ tsp turmeric / haldi
- ½ tsp kashmiri red chilli powder / lal mirch powder
- ½ tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp coriander (finely chopped)
Method:
- Soak your dal for 5-6 hours or overnight.
- In a pressure cook all the dal with 3 cups of water, and half a teaspoon of salt and turmeric for 5 whistles.
- In a separate pan heat ghee and splutter mustard, cumin, dried chilli and few curry leaves.
- Add in 1 onion followed by ginger garlic paste and green chilli. Saute well.
- Add ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder and ½ tsp coriander powder, cook on a low flame till fragrant.
- Add the tomato and a tablespoon of water and saute till it softens.
- Add the cooked dal along with 1 tsp salt. mix well.
- Add the garam masala.
- Simmer for 5 minutes or till dal turns smooth and absorbs the flavour.
- Garnish with coriander and serve with rice.
Dal Tadka
Ingredients:
- ¾ cup toor dal
- ¼ cup moong dal
- 3 cup water
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Salt as required
For Tempering Or Tadka
- 3 tbsp oil or ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 to 6 medium garlic cloves – finely chopped
- 2 to 3 dry red chillies
- 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
Method:
- Soak your dal for 5-6 hours or overnight.
- In a pressure cook all the dal with 3 cups of water, and half a teaspoon of salt and turmeric for 5 whistles.
- While it’s cooking heat 3 tablespoons oil or ghee (clarified butter) in a small pan over low-medium heat.
- Add cumin seeds and let them splutter, avoid burning them.
- Add the slit, dried red chillies and minced garlic and let the garlic brown slightly.
- Finally, add kasuri methi and chilli powder
- Let it fry for 10 seconds and then pour over your cooked dal.
- Garnish with coriander and serve with rice.