Tadka Dal
I learned how to make Tadka Dal in Singapore, and I’ve been in love with it ever since: it’s hot (in every sense), deeply spiced, and it’s super easy to cook.
This soup is pure therapy — it always makes me feel better.
On top of that, it works amazing with my diabetes:
- Low in carbs
- Low in calories
- Rich in plant protein
- Packed with micronutrients
Red lentils are naturally lower in carbs compared to grains or starchy vegetables. The fiber-to-carb ratio is excellent, making it suitable for blood sugar management.
Traditional Tadka Dal often uses a a big amount of ghee, but I lighten it by mixing ghee with vegetable oil, to reduce saturated fat content without losing taste richness.
You can watch the video version of this recipe in my Instagram.
Recipe
Tadka Dal — Indian lentils soup
Servings 4
Calories 650kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp fennel seeds
- 1 cm piece fresh ginger
- ½ tsp chili flakes or chili powder
- 150 g canned tomatoes
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee
- 1-2 tbsp tbsp neutral oil
- 15 g fresh cilantro
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Cook the lentils:
- Rinse red lentils and soak for 10 minutes.
- Add to a pot with 3 cups water, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp turmeric.
- Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes, until soft.
Make the Tadka (tempered spice oil):
- Tadka is a traditional Indian method of blooming spices in hot fat. I mix ghee and cooking oil here to reduce saturated fat without losing flavor.
- Heat 1 tbsp butter (or ghee) with 1–2 tbsp oil in a small saucepan.
- Add cumin seeds.
- Once aromatic, add finely chopped garlic and ginger.
- Stir in the chopped onion, cook until golden.
- Lower the heat, add chili, tomatoes, and a pinch of salt. Let simmer.
Blend and combine:
- Once lentils are cooked, blend half of them until smooth. Return to the pot.
- Stir in half of the Tadka mixture. Adjust salt and water to reach a loose purée consistency.
- Simmer the soup a few more minutes to bring it all together.
To serve:
- Top each bowl with fresh cilantro and a spoonful of the remaining Tadka.
