Toor Dal Recipe (Arhar Dal)

Toor dal is a comforting and protein rich curry made with split pigeon peas (arhar dal) and tempered with flavourful spices and herbs. This is a no onion, no garlic, vegan dish that goes well with rice, chapati or naan bread.

Prep Time5

Cook Time20

Total Time25

Course: Curries

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 211kcal

Author: Geetha

Equipment

1 Pressure Cooker
1 Ladle/Spoon
1 Small frying pan
1 Bowl

Ingredients

1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml

To cook dal

235 gms (or) ½ Cup Toor dal/Split Pigeon Peas/Arhar Dal
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
20 gms (or) lime size Tamarind remove strings and wash
1 large Tomato wash and cut into quarters
1.5 Cups Water

Other Ingredients

Salt as required
10-15 sprigs Coriander Leaves wash and chop finely

For Tadka

2 Teaspoons Oil
½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
1 sprig Curry Leaves remove leaves from the stem and wash
big pinch Asafoetida
½ Teaspoon Oil
6 Spicy Dried Red Chillies adjust to suit your spice levels
2 Byadigi Dried Red Chillies adjust to suit your spice levels

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Rinse the toor dal under running water until the water runs clear.
235 gms (or) ½ Cup Toor dal/Split Pigeon Peas/Arhar Dal
Soak it for 15-20 minutes.
In a pressure cooker, add the soaked dal, 3 cups of water, turmeric powder, and tomatoes.
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1 large Tomato, 1.5 Cups Water
Put washed tamarind in a small bowl and place it in the middle of the cooker.
20 gms (or) lime size Tamarind
Pressure cook the dal for about 3 whistles.
Meanwhile, heat half a teaspoon of oil in a small pan. Once hot, add dry red chillies and fry for a minute until they release a pungent aroma.
½ Teaspoon Oil, 6 Spicy Dried Red Chillies, 2 Byadigi Dried Red Chillies
Switch the heat off and allow chillies to cool completely.
Transfer the chillies to a spice grinder or mixer jar and grind coarsely.
Set it aside to use later.
Once dal is cooked, remove the pressure valve once the pressure settles.
Add salt and pour the tamarind from the bowl into the cooked dal.
Salt
Now mash the dal slightly with the back of the spoon and set aside.
For tadka, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in the same small pan.
2 Teaspoons Oil
Once the oil is hot, add mustard, cumin and urad dal.
½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
Let spices splutter until they release aroma.
Now add curry leaves, asafoetida and stir well.
1 sprig Curry Leaves, big pinch Asafoetida
Finally, stir in coarsely ground red chillies and fry for a minute.
Switch the heat off and add the tadka to the cooked dal.
Add coriander leaves and stir well.
10-15 sprigs Coriander Leaves
Serve piping hot dal with rice and any side dish of your choice.

Notes

Soak Dal: Soaking the toor dal for 15-20 minutes before cooking helps it cook faster and reduces cooking time.

Texture: If you prefer a smooth creamy dal, use an immersion blender to blend the dal after cooking. For a chunkier texture, just lightly mash it with the back of a spoon.

Consistency: Dal thickens as it cools. If it thickens too much, add a little hot water and stir well before serving. Check salt and adjust.

Pressure Cooker Time: Cook dal for 3 whistles if you soak it for at least 20 minutes. Otherwise, cook for 4-5 whistles if you prefer not to soak dal.

Tamarind: Instead of mixing the tamarind and dal together before cooking, put it in a bowl and place the bowl inside the pressure cooker. Tamarind is usually avoided as it prevents dal from softening.

Nutrition