Dhaba Style Dal Fry

Yellow Dal fry is one of the most popular staple food in India, There are different names for this recipe some call it Punjabi Dal Fry, Tadke wali Dal or simply Dhaba Dal Fry. Mostly made with boiled Toor Lentils (pigeon peas) and then it fried with onions, tomato red/green chillis and all the essential masala that ignite your taste buds.

Dhaba is the Roadside restaurant for travelers especially for Truck drivers, this recipe you will definitely find in dhabas as it is a favorite among the road trip makers or highways.

My Kitchen.. My Recipe.. My Way

• Preparation Time 10 mins
• Cooking Time  20 - 25 mins
• Course Main
• Serves  2

Ingredients

• Tuvar Dal (arhar)  1/2 cup washed and soaked
• Ghee 2 - 3 tbsp
• Onion 1 chopped
• Tomatoes 1 big chopped
• Ginger  1 inch grated/chopped
• Garlic  6 -7 cloves minced and chopped
• Green Chillies to taste
• Dry Red Chilli
• Asafoetida  1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds  2 - 3 tsp
• Turmeric Powder  2 tsp
• Coriander Powder  1 tsp
• Dry Mango Powder  2 tsp
• Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
• Water 1.5 cup
• Fresh Coriander handful

Directions

• Heat ghee in a pressure cooker add toor dal and roast for 3 - 4 mins.
• Now add 1/2 tsp ginger, turmeric, salt mix well, saute for another 2 mins add water, cover and allow to cook for three whistles.
• Meanwhile, heat ghee in a pan add cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, asafoetida, green chillies and cook till it turns aromatic.
• Add onion till it turns translucent, add chopped tomatoes, Kashmiri red chilli powder and salt cook for another 2 - 3 mins or till the rawness of spices is gone.
• Add boiled dal to this mixture, dry mango powder and allow it to simmer for 4 - 5 minutes.
• Add chopped coriander and your Dal fry is ready!!
• You can serve it like this also, but since we are making it Dhaba style we will add another tempering to this dal.
• Heat a tadka pan add ghee, dry red chillies, asafoetida, garlic cook till it splutters, now pour the tempering to the dal right before serving. Your Dhaba Style Dal Fry is ready!!

Instant Kitchenette Tip

• You can add 1/4 cup of Moong Dal to toor dal while cooking in a pressure cooker.
• Always try to make the dal in clarified butter or ghee it really makes a difference to the taste.