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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.