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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!
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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!
So delicious! I used half and half masoor dal and mung dal, added some diced carrot and red bell pepper in with the tempering spices, and served with rice and puppadum. Absolutely fantastic and easy to make. Thank you, Richa!
so good to hear! thank you
I just made this for dinner, and I had to put the fork down for a minute to come and say how great it is! This dish really bursts with flavor. It is warming, spicy, garlicy… Perfect winter comfort food!
I followed the recipe more or less exactly, including adding some chopped tomatoes and spinach at the end. I found the acidity of the tomatoes to be just the right touch. I may have used a bit less water; mine has a thick consistency (which is perfect since I’m eating it with some plain cooked quinoa).
Thank you so much for this great recipe, and all your recipes, Richa! What a gift you are to the world.
I forgot to mention that I ommitted the vegan butter, and do not miss it at all.
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thanks for taking a time-out for me
I never have all the ingredients but familiarity with your recipes and ‘making do’ turns out good dishes. I love your cookbooks and all the ingredients best of course but your recipes are so good that subs work🙏
Thank you!
Made this today and it was delicious!
Made this today and it was delicious! I wish I had doubled the recipe
Just gorgeous! This is the first time I’m posting, having already tried several of your amazing dishes, and you have become my ‘go to’ for perfect flavour and ideas. Thank you!!
Yay ! thank you for your feedback – welcome
thanks a lot Richa , for the amazing recipe of Punjabi daal. I personally like it very much, it’s very delicious, tasty and easy.
Awesome!! Do leave a rating too!
I have to say that this is by far, the BEST dal recipe I have ever made! This is the 4th time for this recipe and each time it seems to be better and better. My husband said last night that this dal was better than any he had ever had at an Indian restaurant and far less greasy. Thank you for all you post!
4th time ?!?!? Wow! Thank you for your enthusiasm
Delicious and easy! Started frying the temperingings in the same pot I cooked the lentils, to save dishes but also to create a broth for them to cook in. Used half red split lentils and half mung dal, added a chopped tomato and served with boiled spelt, fried mushrooms and quickly boiled (3 min) spinach for a complete meal.
I made this yesterday and ate the whole thing by MYSELF. This is AMAZING!
I used too much ginger as I tend to do with some of your recipes. Is it fair to say that 1 inch of ginger is equal to 1 teaspoon of minced ginger?
Thanks!
Sandra
You have no idea how happy this dal recipe made me.
Long story short, I made this for my husband’s family (they are Indian) when they came to visit us last week, they absolutely loved it!
Thanks a lot Richa, best wishes!