Arhar Dal Recipe

Arhar Dal Fry is a simple and delicious Indian dal made with pigeon peas. Find dhaba style
arhar dal recipe
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Course: Main CourseCuisine: Indian Servings: 2 Calories: 564kcal Author: Hina Gujral
Equipment
Pressure Cooker
Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
1 Cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
½ Cup chopped tomato
1 green chili chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon red chili powder
1 ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste (get recipe)
4 Cup water
2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
Ingredients for the tempering (tadka)
4 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 dried red chilies
¼ Cup finely chopped onion
½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
Instructions
Clean, wash and soak toor dal in water for 15 – 20 minutes. Make sure to wash the pigeon peas
nicely with water 2 - 3 times before soaking.
Transfer soaked dal to a pressure cooker, along with green chili, salt, turmeric powder, ginger
garlic paste, and chopped tomato. Add 4 cups of water. Stir to combine. Seal the pressure
cooker with the lid. Cook dal for two whistles over low heat. Allow the steam to release naturally.
Open the lid of the pressure cooker. Taste the dal and, if required, add more salt and seasoning
to the dal. If the dal is too thick, add more water to get the desired consistency. Turn on the heat
and allow arhar dal to simmer while you prepare the tadka.
Prepare tadka, heat ghee in a small pan. Add cumin, asafoetida, red chilies, chopped garlic, and
onion. Fry till onion and garlic is light brown. Continuously stir the tadka while frying. At last, add
red chili powder and turn off the heat.
Pour hot tadka over the arhar dal. Stir to combine. Sprinkle chopped fresh coriander. Stir to
combine. Seal the pressure cooker with a lid for 5 minutes. This way flavor and aroma of tadka
are nicely combined with the dal.
Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.
Serve Arhar Ki Dal warm with rice.
Notes
Do not add too much water while cooking the dal. Usually, a ratio of 1:4 (dal to water) works
perfectly). Please note arhar dal consistency becomes thick after a few hours of cooking.
Hence, add more water if required.
2 - 3 whistles over low heat are perfect to cook toor dal. Cooking for too long makes dal mushy
and like a thick paste.
If you do not like spicy dal, skip adding red chilies to the tadka.
You can customize tadka of dal as per personal preference. Use only cumin and chilies or only
garlic and cumin.
You can add a teaspoon of Garam Masala powder once the dal is cooked for warmth and a
spicy taste.
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 19g |
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 1715mg |
Potassium: 370mg | Fiber: 15g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 836IU | Vitamin C: 76mg | Calcium:
103mg | Iron: 5mg