This Tarka Daal (dhal) is the creamy yellow lentil daal found in British Indian restaurant-style menus. Made with red lentils, yellow moong dal, ginger, garlic and a sizzling cumin-chilli tarka, it is thick, comforting, gently spiced and ready in about 30 minutes.
I serve it with takeaway style yellow pilau rice, pillowy garlic coriander naan and homemade crispy onion bhajis for a proper curry night.
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British Indian Restaurant-Style Tarka Daal
This is the kind of dal I associate with British Indian restaurants and takeaways.
It is not a thin everyday dal, and it is not the same as every regional Indian dal tadka.
The texture is the main thing.
The lentils should be completely soft and naturally broken down, but not blended into a smooth puree. I always think of curry house tarka dal as creamy and a little bitty at the same time.
It should be thinner than soup, but thicker than a watery broth.
That texture is why I use both red lentils and yellow moong dal. They cook down beautifully together and give the dal that soft, creamy base without needing to blend it.
I leave tomatoes out of this version because, to me, British Indian restaurant-style tarka dal is usually tomato-free.
Tarka Dhal Ingredient Notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Red lentils and yellow moong dal
I use red lentils with yellow moong dal because they both break down easily and create a creamy base.
This is what makes the dal feel like curry house tarka dal rather than a brothy lentil soup.
Ghee or oil
Ghee adds depth and tastes gorgeous in the tarka.
That said, a neutral flavoured oil works too. Many UK curry houses are not necessarily using ghee every time, so don’t feel the recipe fails without it.
Use ghee for a richer vegetarian version, or oil for a vegan tarka dal.
Cumin and dried red chilli
These are essential for the tarka. The cumin should sizzle and smell nutty, and the dried chilli gives that restaurant-style aroma.
Lemon
One of my favourite stops on the drive home from Brighton was a curry house where we once picked up a late-night takeaway. Their tarka dal always came packed with a lemon wedge.
That little squeeze of lemon over creamy yellow dal was so simple, but so good.
I use the juice of a lemon and keep an extra wedge to serve on the side. It lifts the creamy lentils and makes the dal taste brighter without adding tomatoes.
Set A Curry House Style Table
Tarka daal is right at home with vegetarian Indian restaurant curries such as authentic saag aloo, Indian vegetable curry or brinjal bhaji. Paneer tikka masala looks fancy but isn't complicated to make.
I like to spoon it over jeera rice, plain boiled basmati rice or takeaway yellow pilau rice.
For breads, go for whole wheat chapati or whole wheat paratha. If you fancy naan, my go-to are garlic and coriander naan or peshwari naan.
The dream plate wouldn't be complete without poppadoms, Indian poppadom dips and kachumber or Indian onion salad.
Make Ahead & Leftovers
Tarka daal keeps well. The lentils will continue to thicken as they sit. Add a splash of hot water when reheating to bring it back to a thick but pourable consistency.
My secret to getting the best flavour from stored tarka daal is to make a fresh small tarka when reheating leftovers. It wakes the daal up again and makes it taste much closer to freshly made!
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📖 Recipe
Tarka Dal
Equipment
- Pressure cooker or Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 cup split red lentils
- 1 cup yellow lentils
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 green chillies
- ½ inch ginger
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon cumin coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoon oil
Tarka (Tempering)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 dried red chillies
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
Garnishing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped
Instructions
- Wash the lentils thoroughly under running water and leave to soak whilst you prepare the base.
- Crush or finely chopped the onions, garlic, green chillies and ginger.
Stovetop (pan)
- Heat oil in a pan and tip in the onion, garlic, green chillies and ginger mixture.
- Sauté gently until the onion mixture has reduced and changed colour.
- Add the turmeric, cumin coriander powder and garam masala and mix well.
- Tip in the soaked lentils and saute for a minute with the onion mixture.
- Pour over hot water to completely cover the lentils and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook until the lentils are broken down and soft. You may need to keep adding water and stir at intervals to prevent sticking.
Instant Pot Method
- Select the saute mode of your Instant Pot or pressure cooker and follow the steps above.
- To cook the dal, add enough water to fully cover the dal about 1 inch above. Close the Instant Pot lid and select the Pressure Cooking function. Pressure cook on HIGH for 12 minutes and allow for natural pressure release.
Tempering the dal
- Heat oil and ghee if using in a small pan. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and dried red chilli. Once the seeds sizzle, tip in the red chilli powder.
- Quickly, pour the tempering over the cooked dal and swirl in.
- Squeeze over lemon juice and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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Hayley Dhanecha says
This tarka dal is the kind of recipe I make on repeat because it's comforting and packed with flavour. The creamy lentils topped with that sizzling garlic and spice tempering make every spoonful so satisfying. Served with rice or roti.