Lasooni Dal Tadka is a simple yet flavourful Indian lentil dish tempered with lots of garlic and spices.
This is a vegan, protein-rich, diabetic-friendly, beginner-friendly, curry recipe.
About Lasooni Dal Tadka (Garlic Tadka Dal)
Lasooni dal tadka also spelled as Lehesuni dal tadka in English translates to Garlic dal tadka is made with lentils tempered with lots of garlic simmered along with aromatic herbs and spices.
Tadka dal of any kind is one of the most popular dishes that you will find on every restaurant menu and is most often ordered along with jeera rice, butter paratha or butter naan.
Dal / Lentils are a staple food and are considered the main source of protein for many vegetarians. Dal of any kind is prepared almost every day for meals.
In Indian cuisine, dal is often mixed with green leafy vegetables such as spinach (dal palak), fenugreek (Dal Methi), and Amaranth (Dal Chavali) which enhances the nutritional value of the dish.
Lasooni dal tadka is often made in Indian households, with slight variations depending on region.
The dal is made with either one variety of lentils mainly arhar dal (toor dal) or with combinations of dals.
At home, we like to mix yellow moong lentils along with toor dal (pigeon peas) which gives a nice smooth texture to this lasooni dal.
This lasooni dal tadka is a healthy and delicious curry that we often make at home and serve with tava paratha and rice along with some salad, pickle and papad.
Making a restaurant like lasooni dal tadka at home is very easy and you hardly need any exotic ingredients.
This recipe comes together in under 30 minutes with precooked dal. This dal can be done in a pressure cooker on the stovetop or in an instant pot.
This healthy, vegan, protein-rich recipe makes a perfect weekday meal option with rice or flatbread.
This dal gets a wonderful garlicky flavour with the fried garlic that goes into the tempering along with cumin seeds.
The addition of yellow moong lentils makes the texture of the dal very smooth and silky without adding any cream.
I personally love this lasooni dal tadka along with jeera rice and tava paratha along with spicy mango pickle by the side. This is what comfort meals mean to me!
The lasoooni tadka (garlic tempering) which is made by frying chopped garlic with red chilli powder and cumin seeds gets a nice crunchy texture which oomphs up the flavour of this dal.
This is the ultimate comfort food!
If you love dals/lentil then this recipe is for you! do give it a try and you are going to fall in love with it!
ingredients
Dal / Lentils โ To make this lasooni dal, we will require yellow moong dal & toor dal (split pigeon peas).
To cook the dal, first, wash them under water till water runs relatively clear. Pressure cook the dals for 5-6 whistle.
Note โ I donโt soak the dals when using a pressure cooker, if you are cooking it in a saucepan then itโs better to soak the washed dal for about 30 minutes which reduces the cooking time.
Onion-Tomatoes โ These make the base for our lasooni dal masala. You will need one big onion finely chopped and one medium-sized tomato finely chopped.
Garlic โ We will require 6-7 garlic pods which are slightly crushed that we will add it in the tempering along with onions & tomatoes.
We will require 6-7 garlic pods that are chopped in roundels that we will use for the tadka at the end which gives a nice smokey garlicky flavour to this dish.
Spices & Herbs โ We will require curry leaves, dry red chillies, some powdered masalas like garam masala, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and hing (asafoetida).
Seasoning โ We will require salt for taste, jaggery or sugar to balance the flavours of this dal.
Oil โ To make basic tempering we will need 2 tablespoons of oil and for tadka we will need 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Use oil according to your preference for tadka.
Water โ To cook dal and adjust consistency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is soaking dal compulsory?
Soaking dal is not compulsory, soaking dal reduces the cooking time and helps in easy digestion.
What types of dal can be used to make Lasooni Dal Tadka?
Commonly, a mix of toor dal (split pigeon peas) & yellow moong dal (Yellow Mung Lentils) are used in making this lasooni dal tadka. However, you can make it with either one or you can also use red masoor dal (red lentils) to make this dal tadka.
How is Lasooni dal tadka different from regular dal tadka?
In Lasooni dal tadka, a generous amount of garlic is used, unlike regular dal tadka which adds strong flavour making it a unique dish. This gives a bolder taste to this lasooni tadka as compared to the traditional dal takda recipe.
What is the best way to get a smokey flavour to this lasooni dal tadka?
To give a restaurant-style smokey flavour to this dal tadka, heat a piece of charcoal and place it in a small bowl. Place the bowl over the dal and pour ghee over it which will create smoke. Cover immediately and let it infuse for a few minutes before serving.
What can I use instead of jaggery?
You can use 1 teaspoon of sugar instead of jaggery. You can also completely skip adding the sweetener but it helps in balancing the flavour.
Variations
You may add dry red chilli, curry leaves, and mustard seeds to the lasooni dal tadka.
You can make the tadka with ghee instead of oil which will enhance the flavour of this lasooni tadka dal
Serving Suggestions
Flatbreads options โ You can serve this dal with tava paratha, tandoori paratha, naan, roti, palak poori, plain poori
Rice Options โ Plain steamed rice, Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice), Vegetable Pulao, Brown rice.
Storage Options
You can store this dal in the refrigerator. The dal stays good for a week. Reheat when serving.
Related Recipes
More Dal (Lentils) Recipes
Maharashtrian Sweet & Sour Dal (Amti), Red Masoor Dal Tadka (Red Lentil Curry), Sabut Masoor Dal (Whole Brown Lentil Curry), Moong Dal Curry (Green Mung Bean Curry), Dal Palak (Spinach Lentil Curry)
How to make lasooni Dal Tadka
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Recipe Card
Lasooni Dal Tadka | Garlic Dal Tadka Recipe
Ingredientsย ย
- 1 cup Tur Dal / Arhar Dal (Split Pigeon Peas)
- 1 cup Yellow Moong Dal (lentils)
- 1 Onion finely chopped
- 1 Tomato finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 Dry Red Chillies
- 6-7 Garlic Cloves roughly crushed
- 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- 2 teaspoons Garam Masala Powder
- 1/4th teaspoon Hing (Asafoetida)
- 1 teaspoon Jaggery OR Sugar
- Salt as per taste
- 2 tablespoons Oil
- Coriander leaves for garnish
For Tadka (Tempering)
- 2-3 tablespoons Oil
- 1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
- 5-6 Chopped Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
Instructionsย
- Wash and pressure cook toordal & yellow moong dal until 4-5 whistle.
- In a kadhai, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, and cumin seeds and let them sizzle for a minute. Add hing (asafoetida), roughly crushed garlic & dry red chillies. Saute for a minute till the raw smell of garlic fades away.
- Add finely chopped onions and cook till translucent.
- Once onions are translucent add finely chopped tomatoes, and cook till tender.
- Add turmeric powder,ย red chilli powder,ย coriander powder,ย & garam masala powder.
- Mix all the masala well, add little water to incorporate the masalas into the onion-tomato mixture. Saute for a minute.
- Add the cooked dal.
- Add water and adjust the consistency of the dal as per your preference.
- Add salt and jaggery (optional) and mix well. Check for seasoning at this stage.
- Let the dal boil for 5-10 minutes on medium flame. Stir occasionally.
For Lasooni Tadka (Garlic Tadka)
- In a tadka pan, heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle, add 5-6 chopped garlic and Kashmiri red chilli powder.
- Add this lasooni tadka to the dal. Add finely chopped coriander leaves.
- Lasooni tadka dal is ready.
- Serve it with paratha, naan, roti or jeera rice. While serving sprinkle lemon juice.
