Dabba Style Toor Dal is a comforting Indian lentil dish made with toor dal and chana dal, tomatoes, aromatic whole spices, ginger, garlic, green chili, and a fragrant double tadka. The dal is pressure cooked until tender, then combined with a rich onion and tomato masala and finished with cumin, dried red chilies, and hing. Serve hot with rice, roti, or naan.
- Serves: 8 People
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cooking: 35 minutes
- Difficulties: supereasy
Ingredients
For Cooking
- 2 cups Toor Dal
- 1/2cup Chana Dal
- 4 medium Fresh Tomatoes
- 2 liters Water
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric Powder
- 4 tablespoons Oil
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 large Onion, finely chopped
- 2 leaves Bay Leaves
- 2 pods Green Cardamom
- 1 pod Black Cardamom
- 1 tablespoon Cumin Seeds
- 1 tablespoon Hing
- 1 bulb Garlic
- 2 inch piece Fresh Ginger
- 2 whole Green Chilies
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1 tablespoon Kasuri Methi
- 1/2cup Fresh Coriander, chopped
- 4 whole Dried Red Chilies
For Dressing
Nutritional Information
-
Calories
330 kcal -
Fat
12 g -
Carbohydrates
43 g -
Protein
16 g -
Fiber
12 g -
Sugar
5 g -
Sodium
760 mg
Procedure
-
5 minutesMark As Complete
Wash the Dal
Combine the toor dal and chana dal in a large bowl and wash them several times with fresh water until the water runs mostly clear. Drain the washed dal well before transferring it to the pressure cooker. This helps remove excess starch and gives the finished dal a cleaner texture.
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20 minutesMark As Complete
Pressure Cook the Dal
Add the washed dal to a pressure cooker with the chopped tomatoes, two liters of water, salt, turmeric powder, and two tablespoons of oil. Close the lid and cook for about five to six whistles, allowing the pressure to release naturally afterward. Check the consistency and add a little more water if the dal is thicker than desired.
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10 minutesMark As Complete
Prepare the Masala
Heat the remaining oil and butter in a large pan, then add the bay leaves, black cardamom, green cardamom, and cumin seeds. Add the chopped onion and hing and cook until the onion begins to brown lightly. Stir in the finely chopped ginger, garlic, and green chili and cook until fragrant.
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8 minutesMark As Complete
Cook the Tomatoes
Add the remaining chopped tomatoes to the onion mixture and cook over medium-high heat until they soften and the masala becomes rich and glossy. Stir in a small pinch of turmeric powder for color and continue cooking until the oil begins to separate from the mixture. Keep stirring occasionally so the masala cooks evenly.
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5 minutesMark As Complete
Finish the Dal
Add the cooked dal to the prepared masala and mix thoroughly until the lentils and spices are well combined. Stir in the coriander powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi, and chopped fresh coriander. Simmer briefly so the flavors come together, then turn off the heat and reserve some coriander for garnishing.
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3 minutesMark As Complete
Make the Final Tadka
Heat two tablespoons of oil in a small pan and add the cumin seeds, hing, and dried red chilies. Let the spices sizzle briefly until fragrant, taking care not to burn the dried chilies or hing. Turn off the heat immediately and pour the hot tadka over the prepared dal.
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2 minutesMark As Complete
Garnish and Serve
Gently stir the dal once after adding the final tadka, or leave the tempering visible on top for serving. Garnish with the reserved fresh coriander and adjust the consistency with a splash of hot water if needed. Serve the dal hot with steamed rice, roti, or naan.
