Masoor Daal with Tarka
تڑکے والی مسور کی دال
This is the daal that gets made on an ordinary Tuesday: quick, cheap, and comforting. Red lentils (masoor) need no overnight soaking and fall apart into a creamy pot in about 25 minutes. The real flavour arrives right at the end, when hot ghee with garlic and cumin is poured over the top: the .
- ⏱ Total: 40 min
- Prep: 10 min
- Cook: 30 min
- Easy
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Rinse the lentils in 3–4 changes of water, rubbing them gently, until the water runs almost clear. Soak for 20 minutes if you have time; it helps them cook evenly.
Drain the lentils and put them in a with the water, tomato, ginger, garlic, turmeric, chili powder and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat and skim off the foam that rises.
Lower the heat and simmer, half covered, for 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils have completely broken down. Whisk for a few seconds for a smoother daal.
Check the thickness: the daal should pour slowly from a spoon. Add hot water if it's too thick, simmer for 2 more minutes and taste for salt.
Make the tarka: heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and, once they crackle, the sliced garlic. Fry until the garlic is light golden, then add the dried chilies for a few seconds.
Pour the sizzling tarka straight over the daal. It will hiss loudly; that's what you want. Cover for a minute to trap the aroma.
Scatter over the coriander and green chilies, and serve hot with plain boiled rice.
Kitchen notes
Pour the tarka at the very last moment, just before eating. It's what makes the whole house smell of daal.
Garlic goes from golden to burnt in seconds in hot ghee. Pull the pan off the heat as soon as it colours.
Daal thickens a lot as it cools. Leave it a little looser than you want it.
Daal chawal, the Pakistani comfort meal
Ask almost anyone in Pakistan for their comfort food and daal chawal comes up: a plate of plain white rice with a ladle of daal poured over it, eaten with a spoon or by hand, often with a little achar or a sliced onion on the side. Masoor is the quickest daal for it, which is why it shows up so often on weeknights.
Why the tarka matters
Cooked lentils on their own taste mild. The is a second, separate layer of flavour: whole spices and garlic bloomed in very hot ghee release oils that don’t come out when they’re simply boiled. Pouring it on at the end keeps those flavours sharp instead of cooking them away.
Variations
- Onion tarka: fry a thinly sliced small onion in the ghee until golden before adding the cumin.
- Lemon: a squeeze of lemon on each plate brightens the daal.
- Mixed daal: half masoor and half moong cooks in the same time and gives a slightly nuttier taste.
Storing and reheating
Keep daal in the fridge for up to 3 days. It sets almost solid when cold, so reheat it with a splash of water, whisking until smooth. For the best flavour, make a fresh small tarka when you reheat it.
Questions people ask
Do I have to soak masoor daal?
No. Red lentils are split and skinless, so they cook in 20–25 minutes without soaking. Soaking for 20 minutes just makes them cook a little faster and more evenly.
My lentils aren't breaking down. Why?
Old lentils take longer to soften. Add half a cup of hot water and keep simmering; they will get there.
Can I make it in a pressure cooker?
Yes. Cook the lentils with the water and spices for 1–2 whistles, let the pressure drop on its own, then whisk and finish with the tarka.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 270
- Protein
- 13 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 31 g
