In India, Toor Dal is the most common cooking lentil. Split Pigeon Peas / Arhar Dal is a light dish that can be served with tortilla, paranthas, plain rice, jeera rice. Whether you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, learning to make Toor Dal Recipe is essential for mastering everyday Indian cooking. With just few ingredients and in less time, this Dal will be cooked and you can enjoy this Dal everyday with little variations as it’s rich in fibres, proteins and nutrients.
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Toor Dal Cooking
| Category | Details |
| Name of the Dish | Split Pigeon Peas / Toor Dal / Arhar Dal |
| Preparation Time | 10 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 30 Minutes |
| Total Time | 40 Minutes |
| Soaking Time | 2 – 3 Hours or 30 minutes in Warm water |
| Cuisine | Indian |
| Course | Main Course |
| Serves | 4 People |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Pair With | Tortilla, Plain Rice, Paranthas |
| Ingredients Used | Toor Dal, Species, Water, Some Veggies |
Toor Dal Cooking Ingredients Checklist
Main Ingredients Checklist:
- Toor Dal – 1 cup
- Water – 2½ or 3 Cup
- Turmeric Powder – ½ Tablespoon
- Salt to taste
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For Tempering (Tadka):
- Ghee or Oil – 1 or 2 Tablespoon
- Cumin Seeds – 1 Tablespoon
- Onion – 1 Small (Finely Chopped)
- Garlic – 3 – 4 cloves (minced)
- Green Chilli – 1 (Chopped)
- Tomato – 1 Medium (Chopped)
- Red Chilli Powder – ½ Tablespoon
- Garam Masala – ½ Tablespoon
- Brown Mustard Seeds – 1 Tablespoon
- Curry Leaves – 4 to 5
- Asafoetida (Hing)
- Cinnamon – 1 or 2 piece
- Dried Chillies – 2
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Garnishing Checklist:
- Fresh Coriander Leaves – Finely Chopped
- Lemon Juice – 1 Tablespoon
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How To Cook Arhar Dal In 5 Steps?
- Rinse and Soak the Dal: Rinse one cup of Arhar dal two or three times in water. Soak the Dal for 2 or 3 hours.
- Pressure Cook the Arhar Dal: In a pressure cooker, add the dal and 2 or 3 cups of water with turmeric and salt. Pressure cook it on medium heat. Open the lid, check dal, mash it or blend it to make it smooth.
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- Prepare for Tempering: Heat ghee or oil in the pan. Add cumin seeds and brown mustard seeds. Then add hing (asafoetida), curry leaves, chopped garlic, ginger and green chillies. Sauté it and then add chopped onions. Sauté onions until golden. It’s time for red chilli powder, garam masala, and chopped tomatoes. Cook for a while and see if oil separates.
- Mix: Now mix the cooked Arhar dal to the tadka. Add salt if needed and water for desired consistency. Simmer the Dal for more 5 to 10 minutes.
- Garnishing: Garnish the Dal with coriander leaves. Also,add a little lemon juice. Now, serve it with steamed rice, jeera rice, or tortilla.
Toor Dal Nutritional Value Per Serving
Calories 164 | Total Fat 3g | Saturated Fat 0g | Trans Fat 0g | Sodium 0 mg | Total Carbohydrates 27g | Sugar 5g | Dietary Fiber 8g | Protein 9g |
Tips & Variations
- Add water if you want to thin the dal or simmer longer to thicken the dal.
- Add Dried fenugreek / Kasuri Methi while tempering to add flavour.
- Use Ghee to add flavour.
- If you want to make Arhar Dal vegan then use oil, not Ghee.
- Add other veggies such as spinach, carrot to add more nutrition and taste.
- For spicier dal, increase green chillies and add a dried red chilli to the tempering.
- Serve with papad, pickle for more Indian taste.
FAQ Related To Toor Dal Recipe In English
- How can Toor Dal be cooked with a regular pot?
- The process to make toor dal will be the same with regular pot, the cooking time will be longer.
- What Indians can serve with Toor Dal?
- Indians can serve roti, jeera rice, steamed rice, papad, pickle, vegetable sabji with Toor Dal.
- Can I add lemon juice to Toor Dal?
- Yes, we can add lemon to Toor Dal. We can either use it when we pressure cook dal or we can use it when we garnish dal.
- Do I need to blend Toor Dal after pressure cooking?
- Yes, if for a smoother taste we can blend toor dal but for crunchier taste we should not blend it.
- What if I add more water to Toor Dal?
- Just simmer the heat, it will become thicker.
