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Creamy Yellow Daal with Onion, Tomato, and Tempered Spices

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4 generous bowls

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker or Instant Pot speeds up cooking.
  • Medium skillet or sauté pan for onion–tomato base and final tadka.
  • Mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon or ladle
  • Whisk or potato masher to blend the dal into creamy consistency

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup yellow moong dal or a mix of toor dal + moong dal
  • 1 medium onion finely chopped
  • 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1- inch piece ginger minced
  • 1 –2 green chilies slit lengthwise (optional)
  • 2 cups water plus extra for consistency
  • 2  T oil or ghee clarified butter
  • 1  tsp cumin seeds
  • ½  tsp mustard seeds optional
  • ½  tsp turmeric powder
  • ½  tsp red chili powder
  • ½  tsp garam masala
  • ¼  tsp asafoetida hing (optional)
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh cilantro dhania, chopped, for garnish
  • Lemon wedges to garnish

Instructions
 

Rinse & Cook Dal

  1. Rinse the moong (or toor + moong) until water runs clear.
  2. In pressure cooker: add dal + 2 cups water + ¼ tsp turmeric + salt → 3–4 whistles → natural release.
  3. In pot: simmer until the dal is soft and mashable (~30–40 mins).

Prep Onion–Tomato Base (“Masala”)

  1. Meanwhile, heat 1 T oil or ghee in skillet.
  2. Add cumin (and mustard seeds, if using). Wait for them to sputter.
  3. Add garlic, ginger, green chilies – sauté until aromatic.
  4. Add onions + a pinch salt; cook until translucent.
  5. Stir in red chili, turmeric, garam masala; cook 30 sec.
  6. Add tomatoes + ¼ tsp salt; sauté until soft and pulpy.

Combine & Whisk

  1. Transfer cooked dal into skillet with masala.
  2. Add an extra ½ cup water to loosen if too thick.
  3. Mix well and bring to a gentle boil.
  4. Use whisk or masher to smooth out the lentils until creamy yet slightly textured.

Final Tempering ("Tadka")

  1. In a small pan, heat remaining 1 T oil or ghee.
  2. Add cumin seeds, dried red chili, and a pinch of asafoetida.
  3. Once aromatic, pour sizzling tadka over prepared dal. Stir gently – watch the aroma flood the kitchen!

Garnish & Serve

  1. Turn off heat, add chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice on top.
  2. Serve hot over rice (Dal Chawal Recipe style) or with roti, naan, or paratha.