Dal Tadka: everyday yellow lentils with a ghee tempering

If there is one dish that tastes like home in almost every Indian kitchen, it is dal. This version uses toor dal, which cooks down to a creamy, golden base, and a tadka (tempering) of whole spices bloomed in ghee and poured over at the very end. It is the sound and smell of that last step that makes the dish.

Ingredients

For the dal

• 1 cup (200 g) toor dal, rinsed three times
• 3½ cups water
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste

For the tadka

• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 dried red chillies
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• Fresh coriander and a squeeze of lemon to finish

Method

1. Soak

   Soak the rinsed dal in fresh water for 20 minutes. It cooks faster and more evenly, which matters with Japan's soft tap water.

2. Cook the dal

   Drain, then cook with 3½ cups water, turmeric, tomato and salt. Pressure cooker: 3 whistles on medium heat. Ordinary pot: simmer with the lid ajar for 30–35 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils fall apart.

3. Whisk

   Whisk the dal until smooth and creamy. Add hot water if it is too thick; it should pour like a thick soup. Keep it warm.

4. Make the tadka

   Heat the ghee in a small pan. Add the cumin; when it crackles, add hing, garlic and the red chillies. Fry until the garlic turns light gold, about 1 minute.

5. Finish

   Take the pan off the heat, stir in the Kashmiri chilli powder (off the heat so it stays red and does not burn), then pour the tadka over the dal. Top with coriander and lemon.

Serve it with

Steamed basmati rice and a spoon of extra ghee, or with rotis. Leftover dal thickens in the fridge; loosen it with a splash of hot water the next day.