Dal Tadka, explained

What you need

• 1 cup toor dal, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• Salt to taste
• for the tadka
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced thin
• 2 dried red chilies
• 1/2 tsp hing (asafoetida)
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• Fresh coriander to finish

How it goes

1. 1

   Pressure-cook the dal with turmeric, tomatoes, salt, and 3 cups water — 3 whistles, then natural release.

2. 2

   Whisk the cooked dal smooth. Adjust with hot water: it should pour like a thick soup, not sit like porridge.

3. 3

   Now the tadka. Heat ghee in a small pan until it shimmers. Add cumin seeds — they should sizzle on contact.

4. 4

   Add garlic and let it go golden (not brown — it keeps cooking after). Then chilies and hing, 10 seconds.

5. 5

   Off the heat, add the Kashmiri chili powder. It blooms in the hot ghee without burning — this is what makes the tadka red.

6. 6

   Pour it over the dal from a height, listen to it crackle, and lid the pot for 2 minutes so the aroma soaks in.

7. 7

   Finish with coriander. Rice or roti, your call.

Worth knowing

• Doubling the garlic is not a mistake.
• Half toor + half masoor cooks faster and tastes rounder.