Dal Fry

Dal fry step-by-step recipe with photos.

Dal fry – pigeon pea lentil or toor dal cooked with onion, tomatoes and aromatic spices. This humble dal fry has come a long way from roadside Punjabi dhabas to restaurants all over the world. Creamy, rich, and smooth dal fry is a perfect accompaniment to rice and roti/flatbread.

Lentils are an integral part of Indian food and are a staple across all regions and states. A large number of Indians are vegetarians and dal is the main source of protein for them. Pigeon pea or toor dal is the most commonly used dal in Indian cooking.

Lentils have been part of the human diet - archaeological evidence shows they have eaten 9,500 to 13,000 years ago. The cultivation of the pigeon pea goes back at least 3,500 years. The center of origin is probably peninsular India, where the closest wild relatives occur in tropical deciduous woodlands. Archaeological finds of pigeon pea dating to about 3400 years ago have been found in south India and its border areas in Maharashtra and Orissa. From India, it travelled to East Africa and West Africa. There, it was encountered by Europeans, so it obtained the name, Congo Pea. By means of the slave trade, it came to the American continent, probably in the 17th century. Today, pigeon pea is widely cultivated in all tropical and semitropical regions of both the Old and the New Worlds. (Source: Wiki)

Toor dal is well-known for its health benefits. It is a rich source of protein, fiber and folic acid.

To make dal fry, I boil toor dal in a pressure cooker. (If you don’t have access to a pressure cooker, soak the dal in water for 15-20 minutes. Wash it thoroughly and boil in a saucepan with sufficient water). I then sautée onion, ginger, garlic, and then add tomatoes and spices to it. Once the tomatoes are cooked and mushy, I add the boiled dal and simmer it till it comes together. I finish it with some ghee/butter and garam masala.

Add this healthy, tasty restaurant-quality dish to your diet for an excellent non-meat protein source. Perfect with rice or flatbread.

For more Punjabi recipes, click here.

Dal fry step-by-step recipe with photos

1. Saute onion, ginger, garlic

2. Cook tomatoes and spices till oil seperates

3. Add boiled dal and simmer

Dal fry

Shilpa

Dal fry – pigeon pea lentil or toor dal cooked with onion, tomatoes and aromatic spices. Creamy, rich and smooth dal fry is a perfect accompaniment to rice and roti/flatbread.

5 from 1 vote

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Punjabi

Cook Time 45 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup pigeon pea (toor dal)
• 1 medium onion finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped
• ½ inch ginger grated or 1 tsp ginger paste
• 2 cloves garlic grated or 1 tsp garlic paste
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1-2 bay leaf
• A pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder or as per taste
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• Salt to taste
• A few coriander leaves for garnish
• 1 lime

Instructions

 

• Boil toor dal with water and few drops of oil until completely cooked and tender
• In a fry pan or kadai, heat oil. Add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Add hing, bay leaves and onion. Saute until onion is golden brown
• Add ginger, garlic and saute for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell disappears
• Add tomato, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, salt and mix well
• Reduce the heat and let it simmer until the tomatoes are completely cooked and oil separates from it
• Add the boiled dal and mix well. Simmer for 5-10 minutes
• Add garam masala and butter. Crush the dried fenugreek leaves in between your palm and add it to the dal
• Mix well and simmer for 1-2 minutes
• Turn off the heat and squeeze in the lemon juice
• Serve hot

Nutrition Facts

Dal fry

Amount Per Serving

Calories 82 Calories from Fat 45

% Daily Value*

Fat 5g8%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 2mg1%

Sodium 5mg0%

Potassium 206mg6%

Carbohydrates 9g3%

Fiber 3g13%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 256IU5%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 29mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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