Dal Fry, How To Make Dal Fry Recipe

Dal fry recipe Step by step 

Dal fry is the staple dish of north India. I have been grown up by eating this dal as main dish in most of my meals. Dal fry is very easy lentils recipe which means tempering daal already cooked, with indian whole spices. I remember, in my family whenever dal was leftover, my mother used to prepare dal fry out of it. It always tasted super delicious with plane basmati rice.

Today I am sharing restaurant style dal fry recipe. Generally I don’t use all whole spices on daily basis but whenever I make it for my guest, I follow this recipe.

The idea is to pressure cook dal and then tempering it with whole spices. For preparing dal fry recipe, I prefer ghee instead of oil, it does make a peculiar difference.
Another point if you don’t like using all whole spice, you can reduce them as per your preference. For example my husband don’t like cinnamon, I skip it, if I prepare it for him.

Let’s see how to prepare the recipe.

There are some other lentils recipe available on blog

1. Masoor dal recipe 

2. Punjabi dal makhani 

3. Lobia recipe 

Ingredients 

To pressure cook
1 cup Arhar dal (tuvar dal)
3 Cups water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Other ingredients
1 1/2 tablespoon ghee  or oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 inch ginger, roughly chopped
1 small Green chilli, finely chopped
1 large onion, roughly sliced 
2 medium-sized tomato, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon lemon Juice (optional)
Water as required
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing

To Temper
2 teaspoon oil
2 whole red chillies
2  whole cardamom pods, crushed (choti elachi)
2 cloves(lavang)
1 inch cinnamon stick(dalchini)
1/4 teaspoon whole black pepper 
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1 black cardamom(badi elaichi)
A pinch of ground nutmeg (jaiphal)
1 inch piece mace (javetri)
 

Step by step dal fry recipe

Pressure cook dal (Lentils)

Step 1. Wash lentils (arhar dal) under running water till water runs clear. In a pressure cooker add washed dal, turmeric powder and 3 cups of water.  Cover with lid and place the cooker on medium heat. Let it cook for 5-6 whistles or till dal becomes soft.

Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. Keep it aside.

Prepare onion based masala 

Step 2. Place a frying pan on medium heat. Add ghee or oil. Once hot, add cumin seeds and let them crackle.

Step 3. Add chopped ginger and garlic, sauté for 30 seconds or till the raw aroma goes. Then add sliced onions and cook till onions become translucent and turn golden in colour.

Step 4. Add chopped green chilies.

Step 5. Add chopped tomatoes and mix. Cook for 2 – 3 min or till they become soft.

After 4 – 5 minutes of cooking on low heat, see how the masala have become soft and mushy.

Step 7. Add the cooked dal prepared in step 1. and mix. Add water to adjust consistency and let it simmer on low heat.

Let’s prepare tempering for dal 

Step 8. In a small saute pan, heat two teaspoon of oil.

Step 9. Gather whole spices.

Add spices to crackle. It will take just 10 – 20 seconds.

Step 10. Add in the simmering dal prepared in step 7. Switch off the gas. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with phulka or naan.

Recipe card – Dal fry recipe 

Print

Dal Fry, How To Make Dal Fry Recipe

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Learn step by step Authentic dal fry recipe tempered with Indian whole spices. This restaurant style dal fry is very easy to prepare at home.

Course: Sides

Cuisine: North Indian

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Rachna's Kitchen

Ingredients

To pressure cook

• 1 cup Arhar dal tuvar dal
• 3 Cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Other ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoon ghee or oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 cloves garlic roughly chopped
• 1 inch ginger roughly chopped
• 1 small Green chilli finely chopped
• 1 large onion roughly sliced
• 2 medium-sized tomato roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon Juice optional
• Water as required
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

To Temper

• 1 teaspoon oil
• 2 whole red chillies
• 2 whole cardamom pods crushed (choti elachi)
• 2 cloves lavang
• 1 inch cinnamon stick dalchini
• 1/4 teaspoon whole black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds crushed
• 1 black cardamom badi elaichi
• A pinch of ground nutmeg jaiphal
• 1 inch piece mace javetri

Instructions

Pressure cook dal (Lentils)

1. Wash lentils (arhar dal) under running water till water runs clear. In a pressure cooker add washed dal, turmeric powder and 3 cups of water. Cover with lid and place the cooker on medium heat. Let it cook for 5-6 whistles or till dal becomes soft.

2. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. Keep it aside.

Prepare onion based masala

1. Place a frying pan on medium heat. Add ghee or oil. Once hot, add cumin seeds and let them crackle.

2. Add chopped ginger and garlic, sauté for 30 seconds or till the raw aroma goes. Then add sliced onions and cook till onions become translucent and turn golden in colour.

3. Add chopped green chilies.

4.  Add chopped tomatoes and mix. Cook for 2 - 3 min or till they become soft.

5. After 4 - 5 minutes of cooking on low heat, see how the masala have become soft and mushy.

6. Add the cooked dal prepared in step 1. and mix. Add water to adjust consistency and let it simmer on low heat.

Let's prepare tempering for dal

1. In a small saute pan, heat two teaspoon of oil.

2. Gather whole spices. Add spices to crackle. It will take just 10 - 20 seconds.

3. Add in the simmering dal prepared in step 7. Switch off the gas. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with phulka or naan.