This post contains affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
Punjabi Dal Fry Recipe. Easy Dal Fry with whole spices and garam masala. Lentil Dhal. Use Red lentils or a combination or yellow lentils, split peas etc. North Indian Lentil Soup for the soul. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Indian Recipe. Pin this post.
Wow, the past 6 weeks went by so quickly. My parents, my sister’s family, everyone visiting (a few weeks here and there), their adorable toddler, poop stories(toddlers ;), loads of Indian food and Summer Vacation!
This week we will all slowly move back to normal routine, back to normal schedule for posts and some announcements. During the visit, I didn’t get much time to capture all of mom’s amazing cooking, but did manage to make a video of this delicious and creamy Dal. This Punjabi Dal fry is spiced with whole spices and a simple tempering of onion, chilies and garlic and some vegan butter. A restaurant version will need more vegan butter and some cashew cream to finish off. Add more or less to preference. I use cloves and bay leaves and a tempering of onion and garlic. Add other whole spices of choice for variation. Fold in some spinach towards the end. Add veggies (chopped small) of choice with the tempering. Use red lentils(masoor dal) or petite yellow lentils (moong dal), or split pigeon pea(toor dal / arhar dal), or split chickpeas (chana dal), or use a combination of 2 or 3 of the pulses. Cooking time depends on the lentils used.
More Dals from the blog
- Sabut Masoor – Brown Lentil Soup
- Restaurant Style Dal Fry
- Easy Chana Dal Recipe. Split Chickpea Soup
- Kashmiri Dal – Split Pea & Yellow Lentil Soup
- Dal Tadka Mix in a Jar. Pink Lentil soup in a Jar.
- Oil free Lentil Soup. Spicy Garlic Dal
- Daal Collection
Mom served the Dal with Spiced Bitter gourd (Karela) and rice. Bitter gourd is sliced and hard seeds removed. Then the slices are soaked in well salted water for atleast 15 minutes. Then drained and washed well. The bitter gourd slices are cooked in a little oil over medium-low heat for 20 or more minutes until it starts to dry. Spiced with salt, cayenne, jaggery or sugar and dry mango powder(amchur), and cooked for another 15 or more minutes or to preference.
Video!
Subscribe to my Youtube channel here.
Punjabi Dal Fry Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils, or half each of red (masoor dal and petite yellow lentils(mung dal), or a cup of split pigeon peas(Toor dal)
- 3 to 3.5 cups of water
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 3/4 tsp salt or to taste
Tempering:
- 1 tsp oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, optional
- 1 -2 bay leaves
- 2 cloves
- a good pinch of asafetida hing, optional
- 1/2 red onion, finely chopped (3/4 cup)
- 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 2 green chilies, chopped or sliced
- 1/2 to 1 tsp Garam Masala
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne, red chili powder
- 1/2 tsp dry mango powder amchur, or add lime juice to taste
- 1 tbsp vegan butter
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the lentils in a saucepan or a pressure cooker (Instant Pot) until done to preference. Saucepan- 20 to 25 minutes for red lentils and 30 to 40 minutes for split peas or split chickpeas. Continue to simmer the lentils over low heat while you make the tempering. Fold in the ginger, turmeric and salt.
- Pressure cooker/Instant pot: Manual for 1 to 2 mins. Natural release.
- Make the Tempering: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add cumin and mustard seeds and let them start to change color. Add bay leaves and cloves and cook until they get fragrant.
- Add asafetida and mix in. Add onion, garlic, chile and cook until translucent.
- Add this tempering to the simmering lentils. Add garam masala, amchur and cayenne and vegan butter.
- Taste and adjust salt and heat. Add cayenne or lemon juice if needed. Fold in chopped tomatoes or chopped baby spinach at this point. Add cilantro and mix in. Serve hot as a soup or with rice and roasted veggies.
Video
Notes
Fold in chopped tomatoes (1 to 2 tomatoes) when you add the tempering. (step 4).
. Nutritional information based on 1 serving
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
In other news, I am collaborating with The Purple Carrot in their next week’s menu. You can get all the ingredients for my Mango curry Tofu in their next week’s kit. Order their menu by 26th here (affiliate link).
Purple Carrot, is a plant-based meal kit delivery service. They send out fun plant based meal kits that you can cook at you leisure for a freshly cooked hot meal. This Summer, they are featuring guest authors and bloggers and their recipes. If you get the Mango curry Tofu, let me know how it turned out!
I make daals all the time. All types. Have tried all kind of recipes from cookbooks but always defaulted back to my Delhiwala mom’s recipes because I find most daal recipes to be overly addled with spices on blogs, books and videos. But the tadka looked something mom would make so I went for it last night. Here is my what my 10 year old son said after eating a bowl: Dad this is the most flavorful daal you have ever made. Thank you for the recipe. I have never added spinach to a daal but looking forward to trying that next week.
Can i put cream instead of butter ?
Sure, use vegan cream.
This is the best dal recipe hands down. I was wondering if I double the recipe, and changes to the recipe?
delicious! i made this for dinner last night. i started out cutting the recipe in half cuz it was just me and then decided to make the whole recipe because halving spices of that amount is a pain.
i’m so glad i did because i ate it all. don’t tell!
yay! so glad you made the whole batch!
Omg! This looks so yummy, can’t wait to make this!!
-Dhara
https://www.modestryliving.com/
I know, time has gone by so quickly! But I just look back at everything and say that everything was so worthwhile 🙂 love this recipe! Lately I’ve been craving curry so much!
Chickpea flour, so brilliant!
I love these recipes as I can get this easily in south Ireland (rural) and I am being given so much versatility nowadays!
Having a great time doing things I could never have dreamt of not just cake or pastry! This flour is a treasure.
Hi Richa,
Congrats on your Purple Carrot collaboration! I know your mango curry is delicious already – so very happy others will love it too 🙂 This dal looks awesome – I will have to try that tempering (and dal mix) asap. Although I will wait until I locate some bitter gourd to serve it as ‘Mom’ does. It looks so simple and looks like it would be delicious. Thank you for that side note! I can’t wait for some more transcribed recipes from your family.
Enjoy the rest of your summer,
Katie
What else is shown in the photo of the completed plate?
I mention it in the third paragraph. The one after the list of dals from the blog. Its bitter gourd stir fry.
The video is so helpful and illustrative, makes it look so easy and doable! If I can make a decent dal I will be very psyched. Thanks for sharing your (and your Mom’s!) beautiful vegan recipes!
Thank you Maria!