As much Indian food as I've eaten over the years, I just very recently came to know of Tadka Dal (sometimes referred to as Dal Tadka) in the prepared foods case at a local 'gourmet' grocery store, where they make a tasty version that's only available every once in a while. It's basically toor dal (aka split pigeon peas) and a masala of vegetables and spices. A friend who grew up in Mumbai explained to me that "tadka" refers to the infused ghee that garnishes the dish or gets mixed into it at the end of the cooking.
Anyway, between the intermittent availability and high cost, I figured I might as well try to make it myself. Like a lot of Indian dishes I've made in the past, it starts with a fairly robust array of ingredients. Most of these I had on hand but a couple I picked up just to give this a whirl . . .
Mise En Place & Yu Kurosaki VG10 Fujin Gyuto, 210mmTurmeric & kosher salt, plate of seasonings
(garam masala powder, coriander powder, fenugreek leaves, cayenne pepper, kashmiri red chili powder), cilantro, toor dal, mortar of fresh aromatics
(garlic, ginger, jalapeno pepper), red onion, bowl of dried aromatics
(crushed coriander seeds, whole cumin seeds, whole cloves), tadka ingredients
(asafoetida, dried red chiles, garlic), kashmiri red chili powder
(also for the tadka) and tomatoes in the center.
Not shown here is the ghee/clarified butter that's used in a couple of different phases of the cooking. And it's probably worth noting that while I had no trouble crushing the coriander seeds in the mortar, I failed miserably with the ginger/garlic/jalapeno mixture and resorted to pulsing it in my mini food processor which, I think, turned out fine.
Instant PotDal, turmeric, salt and water. These would cook for 8 minutes on high pressure with natural release. They ended up very soft but still fine. I might opt to go only 6 or 7 minutes next time.
Tadka PrepUltimately, these ingredients -- and a bit more kashmiri red chile powder -- get swished around in some hot ghee for about a minute before being added to the finished dish.
Blooming The SeasoningsCrushed coriander seed, whole cumin seed and whole cloves are bloomed for a moment in hot ghee.
OnionsOne the seasonings are bloomed, the chopped red onions are added.
Garlic, Ginger & JalapenoOnce the onions have softened and begin to change color, this mixture is added.
TomatoesOnce the ginger, garlic and jalapeno no longer smell raw, the tomatoes are added and the pot is covered to cook at low heat until they're soft.
Additional SpicesOnce the tomatoes have softened, the garam masala powder, coriander powder, fenugreek leaves, cayenne pepper, kashmiri red chili powder and fresh cilantro are added and stirred in.
Adding The Cooked DalOnce all the seasoning are mixed together, the cooked dal is added and stirred in.
All InOnce the dal is fully incorporated, the mixture is allowed to simmer for a moment or two. I decided to wait until I plated it to add the tadka.
Plated UpTadka Dal over rice, garnished with chopped cilantro and 'officially' drizzled with the tadka.
While the kashmiri chile powder is relatively mild, the cayenne added its anticipated kick and as luck would have it, those were 2 of the hottest jalapenos I've had in a long time. The heat was probably one of the reasons I enjoyed this version way more than the one I've been buying. It was quite a bit of prep but now that I've done it once, I'm sure it'll go much easier next time. And I was glad that I made a double batch, so I'll have a bit leftover for the next day or two.
=R=
Same planet, different world