This homemade Tarka Dal tastes just like your favourite Indian restaurant and takeaway. It’s a classic dish made with a mix of two lentils that are simmered in an aromatic tarka.
Curry night would be incomplete without a delicious dal on the side. My favourite contenders for a homemade Indian fake-away are this tarka dhal or Dishoom black dal .
“Tarka” is the aromatic technique of tempering hot oil and ghee with whole spices, which is then poured over the cooked dal. This infuses the dal with incredible depth of flavour.
Tarka dal is beautifully creamy thanks to the way the lentils break down when cooked. This coupled with the gentle heat from the aromatics makes this dish irresistable!
To cook the dal, you can use an Instant Pot or other pressure cooker or prepare this recipe on the stove top.
Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Split red lentils – aka masoor dal.
Yellow lentils – aka split moong dal.
Onion, garlic, green chillies, ginger – these aromatics will flavour the daal.
Spices – turmeric, ground cumin coriander powder, garam masala.
Tempering / tarka
Oil and ghee – skip the ghee to keep this recipe vegan.
Cumin seeds
Dried red chillies – these are optional but look amazing and add a gentle heat. Alternatively use dried red chilli flakes.
Red chilli powder – I recommend using Kashmiri red chilli powder which adds colour but little heat however any type of chilli powder works well.
Fresh coriander leaves – as a garnish.
Lemon juice
Serving Suggestion
Serve tarka dal the restaurant way with mains, side dishes, rice and flatbreads.
For mains, you may like saag aloo , Indian vegetable curry or brinjal bhaji .
Pair with jeera rice , boiled basmati rice or yellow pilau rice . Tarka dal will go beautifully just with rice for a lighter meal.
For breads, go for chapati , whole wheat paratha , garlic and coriander naan or peshwari naan .
Side with poppadoms , poppadom dips , onion bhaji and kachumber or Indian onion salad .
Storage
Tarka dal can easily be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You just need to reheat on the stove or in the microwave with a splash of water as the dal will thicken.
Tarka dal also freezes well for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw at room temperature and reheat on the stove with a new tempering to revive the flavours.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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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.
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.
Pani Puri, Golgappa or Puchka is a popular Indian street food snack. Crispy deep-fried hollow puri are stuffed with a chickpea potato masala, sweet imli chutney and spicy mint water.
Mention “pani puri” and most will picture roadside stalls with people eating pani puri from small plates. If you live in India, pani puri is easily available as soon as you step outside but in other countries, we do not have that luxury! Instead, we prepare the pani puri filling and water from scratch and treat ourselves every few months.
You may want to make homemade pani puri puris or buy readymade which are easily available in Indian grocery stores.
The recipe that my Mum and I follow closely resembles the pani puri you find in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta pani puris all have their own variations.
In my opinion, the success of homemade pani puri relies on the flavour of the water. The pani puri pani should be an explosion of flavours – think spicy, sour, sweet and refreshingly minty.
The filling is a simple affair of potatoes and boiled black chickpeas. We sprinkle on a basic masala of red chilli powder and dhana jeeru so the filling can compliment the tangy imli and punchy pani.
Filling ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Potatoes – boiled then peeled. Use floury potatoes for the best texture.
Kala chana – cooked.
Red chilli powder and cumin & coriander powder.
Optional – chopped coriander leaves to garnish.
Pani for Pani Puri ingredients
Essentially this tikha pani (spicy green mint coriander water) is similar to green mint and coriander chutney with some extra spices.
Coriander – use the freshest herbs possible for this recipe. Small stalks and the leaves are fine but break off the thick stalk.
Mint – I prefer to use a higher ratio of mint compared with coriander for that bright flavour. Avoid adding thick stalks of mint.
Green chillies and ginger – again fresh is best here.
Spices Powders – Cumin coriander powder, amchoor powder, chaat masala, black pepper powder and black salt (kala namak).
Optional additions – boondi and/or lemon slices. Only add the boondi prior to serving and not if you plan on freezing extra water.
Flavour variations for the water include garlic, ripe or raw mango, pineapple or kiwi. Add these when blending the herbs.
How to serve pani puri
Pani puri is deeply individual but there are some basics. Determine whether the pani puri will be served in a family setting or for a party.
You will need:
- Crispy puris
- Potato filling
- Imli chutney
- Pani puri water
- Optional extra – finely chopped red onion
To assemble, gently poke a hole into the top of a puri. Spoon in a small amount of filling, add a few pieces of chopped red onion if using. Spoon in some imli then dunk the puri into the water to top it up.
Immediately eat the puri whole before the water makes the puri soggy and disintegrate.
For parties:
Place dry filling inside the puri and keep in a platter. The pani can be served in individual shot glasses or in a big bowl with a spoon so everyone can serve themselves.
For parties, I recommend adding the imli chutney to the water in advance so it is balanced with sweet, sour and spicy flavour. This makes Khatta Meetha pani and a delicious alternative to the tikha coriander mint water.
Make it a chaat party with another chaat recipe such as bhel puri , papdi chaat , smashed potato chaat , samosa chaat or dahi vada .
Storage instructions
Store the potato masala filling in an airtight container and keep refrigerated as potato can spoil easily. It will keep for 2 days. To freeze, place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature.
The pani can also be stored in the fridge for 5 days. Leftover pani can be frozen in freezer safe containers or bags for 3 months. Allow to defrost at room temperature. You may want to revive the flavours with extra masala and a squeeze of lemon juice.
If possible, I recommend making fresh filling and pani every time – the flavours of freshly made are so much better!
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
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Stuffing and Pani for Pani Puri
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
Stuffing
- 2 large boiled potatoes
- 1 cup black chickpeas boiled
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander combined
- 2 tablespoon coriander chopped
Pani Puri Water
- ½ cup coriander
- ½ cup mint
- 2 large green chillies
- 2 inch ginger root
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 tablespoon amchoor powder
- 2 tablespoon black salt kala namak
- 1 tablespoon chaat masala
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 5-6 lemon slices
- 6 cup chilled water
Instructions
Pani Puri Stuffing Masala
- In a large mixing bowl mash the boiled potatoes using a fork, potato masher or with your hands.
- Add boiled chana, salt, cumin and coriander and red chilli powder.
- Mix everything and sprinkle chopped coriander and set it aside.
Pani for Pani Puri
- In a blender jug or grinder add coriander, mint, green chillies and ginger.
- Add some water and blend or grind until it become smooth paste.
- Transfer into a large mixing bowl and add chilled water.
- Then add all the spices and lemon slices, mix well.
- If you wish add a couple of ice cubes and set aside for one hour to allow the flavours to devolope.
Video
Notes
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.
Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with a new, improved recipe, new images and content. First published in January 2012.
