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Tarka Dahl

AuthorRumana Zahn

A great accompaniment to warm rice or naan bread, also great used as a dip with raw vegetables, or dried and spread onto bread or rice cakes.

Yields4 Servings
Total Time30 mins
 250 g red lentils, rinsed well
 1 l pints water
 1 tsp ground turmeric
 1 tsp ground coriander powder
 1 tsp ground cumin powder
 1 tsp paprika
 1 tsp mustard seeds
 2 whole green chillies (or to your taste)
 ½ tsp salt (or to your taste)
Tarka
 1 tbsp cumin seeds
 1 small onion chopped
 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
 1 piece fresh ginger cut into thin strips
 3 Garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
 1 tsp garam masala
 Freshly ground black pepper
 Handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves
1

Place the lentils, water and spices in a pan, stir well and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid, reduce the heat and simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until the lentils are just tender. Add more water if needed.

2

When the lentils are cooked, remove the pan from the heat.

3

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin and fry for 20-30 seconds.

4

Add the onion, garlic, chillies and ginger and fry until dark golden-brown or caramelised if you prefer a stronger flavour.

5

Add the onion mixture (tarka) to the cooked lentils and stir well.

6

Bring the mixture to the boil and season to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the chopped coriander and garam masala just before serving.

7

Serve with warm rice or naan bread.

Notes

TIP:

  • Make extra and freeze to use for another day.
  • Use any extra as a dip (add more water to make into a dip consistency) and serve with with raw vegetables.
  • Dry the mixture (heat until water reduced), cool and use as a lentil spread over bread, rice cakes, etc.

 

Ingredients

 250 g red lentils, rinsed well
 1 l pints water
 1 tsp ground turmeric
 1 tsp ground coriander powder
 1 tsp ground cumin powder
 1 tsp paprika
 1 tsp mustard seeds
 2 whole green chillies (or to your taste)
 ½ tsp salt (or to your taste)
Tarka
 1 tbsp cumin seeds
 1 small onion chopped
 3 tbsp vegetable oil or ghee
 1 piece fresh ginger cut into thin strips
 3 Garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
 1 tsp garam masala
 Freshly ground black pepper
 Handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves
Tarka Dahl
IngredientsDirections