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Home / Mains

Tarka Dal

A hearty vegetarian dish that will appeal to anyone, even the meat-eaters amongst you.

Erren Hart

|

last Updated:

04/15/2021
5 from 5 votes
Jump to Recipe
Serves: 4
Prep: 15 minutes mins
Cook: 1 hour hr
a bowl of tarka dal ready to eat with rice
a bowl of tarka dal ready to eat with rice
a bowl of tarka dal ready to eat with rice

bright Tarka Dal on top of white rice in a bowl

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This super healthy, split pea Tarka Dal recipe is a delicious vegetable curry that will appeal to vegetarians and meat-eaters alike.

Serve alongside Chicken Korma and Saag Bahji for the ultimate Indian food banquet.

Tarka Dal over white rice in a bowl
Pin This Recipe For Later!

In the UK, Indian food is as much of the culture as Chinese or Italian food is in the US.  It’s a regular thing that’s ordered in, a favorite for eating out and the shelves in the grocery stores are lined with all different mixes, jars, and packets to make it at home.

This is one of my favorite Indian dishes.  It’s kind of like a curry version of split pea soup (although traditionally it is made with lentils). Serve with rice to make it an easy weeknight meal the whole family will love.

Why This Recipe Works

  • The combination of oil and butter adds richness to this delicious soup,
  • Mild spices make this a great introduction to Indian food.
  • This recipe makes a thick filling soup that is perfect as a side dish or main meal.
bright Tarka Dal on top of white rice in a bowl

How to make tarka dal

  1. Boil the lentils in stock.
  2. Fry the onion, garlic, and ginger.
  3. Add pureed tomatoes and dried spices, stir and simmer.
  4. Combine the stock and lentil mixture with the spice mixture.
  5. Bring to the boil.
  6. Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

  • Replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock to make this dish suitable for vegetarians.
  • Add vegetables to bulk it up for a hearty dish.
  • If you like your food spicy add chili flakes for an extra kick

FAQs

What is Tarka Daal?

Tarka is the process of frying spices in oil and butter and dal is a lentil or pulse.

Is Tarka Dal good for you?

Tarka Dal is a healthy dish packed with goodness, it can be made even more healthy by replacing the butter and oil with a low fat cooking spray.

Other Great Soups

  • Potato Leek Soup
  • Red Lentil Soup
  • Homemade Tomato Soup
  • Chinese Mushroom Noodle Soup
  • Mexican Rice and Bean Soup

Rate This Recipe

Click here to leave a star rating!

bright Tarka Dal on top of white rice in a bowl

Recipe

Tarka Dall

A hearty vegetarian dish that will appeal to anyone, even the meat-eaters amongst you.
5 from 5 votes
Print
Prep Time: 15 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Serves 4

Ingredients

  • ½ pound /250g yellow dried split peas (rinsed until the water runs clear)
  • 4 cups /1 liter Chicken stock
  • ½ cup /120ml of water
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons rounded butter
  • 1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
  • 1 large onion (Chopped)
  • inch ¾ piece fresh ginger (peeled & minced)
  • 3 cloves Garlic (Chopped)
  • 3 tomatoes (pureed)
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala
  • 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • salt & pepper
  • A good handful of chopped fresh cilantro/coriander (chopped)

Instructions

  • Place the peas and stock into a pan, stir well and bring to the boil. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer, stirring regularly, for 40-50 minutes, or until the peas are just tender, adding some water as necessary. When the peas have cooked, remove them from the heat and whisk to break them down to your desired consistency. Set aside to cool.
  • Heat the oil & butter in a pan over a medium heat add the onion and ginger. Fry for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Puree the tomatoes in a food processor, add them to the pan and mix them in. Add the remaining spices and the water to the pan and stir well. Simmer over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes, or until the oil from the sauce has risen to the surface of the sauce. When finished, puree the sauce in a food processor and add it to the cooked peas & stock mixture and stir well (adding more water if necessary to loosen the mixture). Bring the mixture to the boil and season to taste, with salt and black pepper and chopped cilantro/coriander just before serving. Serve on rice or alone as a soup.
Show Nutrition Hide Nutrition

Nutrition

Calories: 400 | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 22mg | Sodium: 412mg | Potassium: 1115mg | Fiber: 16g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1045IU | Vitamin C: 17.1mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 4.5mg
Created by Erren Hart
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5 from 5 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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8 responses

  1. tina Avatar
    tina
    09/03/2021

    literally cant stop picking at it!!!

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      09/05/2021

      I know it’s so more-ish isn’t it? Glad you enjoyed it Tina 🙂

      Reply
  2. Maria Avatar
    Maria
    02/01/2021

    I made enough for 4 people………my husband ate the whole pan himself in one sitting. Luckily it was only us two. I didn’t have cumin powder so I crushed and toasted some cumin seeds. I didn’t have any tumeric either so used Cayenne pepper and a sprinkle of paprika. It still tasted amazing, so much so I have now added it to my little recipe book. Thank you 🙂

    Reply
    1. Erren's Kitchen Avatar
      Erren’s Kitchen
      02/01/2021

      Thank you Maria, your slight changes sound delicious! Glad you liked it 🙂

      Reply
  3. Nicki S. Avatar
    Nicki S.
    05/29/2020

    Can this be made in a slow cooker?

    Reply
    1. Erren Hart Avatar
      Erren Hart
      06/01/2020

      It probably can, but I’ve never done it so I wouldn’t know how to direct you.

      Reply
  4. Erren Avatar
    Erren
    08/29/2014

    Hi Loly, Thanks so much for such wonderful feedback! It’s split peas, but I used to make it with lentils (which I must have missed when updating the recipe), but after trying it with the peas, I never went back. It won’t work with green split peas though they have to be yellow.
    I really hope you like it! This recipe really is lovely! Thanks for the comment!

    Reply
  5. Loly Pastran Avatar
    Loly Pastran
    08/29/2014

    I like you said “hate Indian food” but I would like to love it as everyone else does so after reading your post I’m going to make this recipe. However, do you use split peas or lentils as you mention lentils at the bottom of the recipe. You have one of the very best sites on Pinterest, everything here looks fresh and delicious! Thank you.

    Reply
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