Restaurant-style Daal Tadka
Hearty, healthy, wholesome, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free. When it comes to India’s favorite lentil preparation, Daal, this list of virtues is long and endless. Incidentally, the word Daal is used for the raw lentil grain, as well as a popular manner of preparing the lentils.
One of the commonly found lentil preparations is the much-loved Daal Tadka which deserves all its accolades. This Daal is simple to make and gets its name, and unbeatable flavor, from the tempering, added at the end, right before serving.
Restaurant-style Daal Tadka: India’s Favorite Tempered Lentil Preparation
It’s worth knowing that in most regional cuisines of India, a meal is considered incomplete unless it is accompanied by some kind of Daal. While the preparations differ from one part of India to another; each one is equally delicious. You can add vegetables like my recipe for Palak Chana Daal. Complex and satisfying meat and lentil dishes like Dhansak, while less common, can be found in minority cuisines like my own native Parsi cuisine.
The best ways to enjoy Daal preparations are:
Ladle steaming hot Daal lentils over fragrant Basmati rice, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and enjoy!
Serve Daal as a side to your meat dishes such as the Jardaloo Salli Boti.
A bowl of Daal with Naan or other Indian bread, or even a crusty baguette, is one of the most comforting meals.
Serve Daal as an accompaniment to all kinds of kebab and tikka.
One of my favorite dishes with Daal is the Indian Khichdi, a melange of rice and lentils cooked together.
