Dal Fry Recipe (Restaurant Style)

Name: Dal Fry Recipe (Restaurant Style)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup pigeon pea lentils (- hulled and split, (tuvar dal, arhar dal, toor dal) or ¼ cup each of masoor dal and toor dal); 1.5 cups water (- for stovetop pressure cooking); 1 pinch turmeric powder ((ground turmeric)); 2 to 3 tablespoons oil ((neutral flavored) or unsalted butter or ghee (clarified butter)); ½ to ¾ teaspoon mustard seeds ((black)); 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; ⅓ cup onions (- finely chopped, or 1 medium-sized); 1 to 1.5 teaspoons ginger garlic paste (or 1 inch peeled ginger & 3 to 4 medium peeled garlic cloves crushed in a mortar-pestle); 2 green chilies (- slit or chopped); 2 to 3 dry red chilies (- kept whole or halved and deseeded, optional); 10 to 12 curry leaves; 1 to 2 pinches asafoetida powder ((hing) - for a strong asafoetida, just one pinch is enough); ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric)); ½ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper or smoked paprika); ⅓ to ½ cup tomatoes (- finely chopped, or 1 medium-sized); 1 to 1.5 cups water (or add as required); salt (as required); 1 teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves ((kasuri methi)); ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala; ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice (- optional); 2 to 3 tablespoons coriander leaves (- chopped, (cilantro) - for garnish)

Instructions

Prep:15minCook:10min

This Dal Fry recipe is made with arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) cooked until soft and then combined with a sautéed base of onions, tomatoes, herbs and spices. You can use only arhar dal or combine it with masoor dal for variation. The dal is simmered until smooth and creamy with the masala. I share both the stovetop and Instant Pot methods to make this recipe.

Updated at: Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:19:27 GMT