Tadka Urad Dal

Tadka Urad Dal is a easy Indian recipe that serves 4. 180 calories per serving. Recipe by Manjula's Kitchen on YouTube.

Prep: 26 min | Cook: 15 min | Total: 51 min

Cost: $3.47 total, $0.87 per serving

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Urad Dal (washed and soaked for 20 minutes)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt (to taste)
  • 0.25 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (ground, haldi)
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger (finely chopped)
  • 0.25 teaspoon Garam Masala (ground spice blend)
  • 0.5 teaspoon Mango Powder (Amchoor) (dried mango powder)
  • 3 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter, unsalted)
  • 0.5 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (whole seeds, jeera)
  • 0.125 teaspoon Asafoetida (Hing) (pinch, optional)
  • 1 piece Green Chilli (sliced lengthwise)
  • 1 tablespoon Ginger (thinly sliced for tadka)
  • 0.5 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder (ground)
  • 4 slices Lemon (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Soak Urad Dal

    Rinse 1 cup urad dal under running water, place in a bowl, cover with water and let soak for 20 minutes until the volume doubles.

    Time: PT20M

  2. Prepare Aromatics & Spices

    Finely chop 1 tbsp ginger, slice the green chilli, and measure all spices (salt, turmeric, garam masala, amchoor, cumin, hing, red chilli powder).

    Time: PT5M

  3. Pressure Cook Dal

    Drain the soaked dal. Add it to the pressure cooker with 2 cups water, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric and 1 tbsp chopped ginger. Close the lid, bring to high heat until the whistle, then lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: high

  4. Release Pressure

    Turn off the heat and allow the steam to escape naturally until the pressure valve stops. Open the cooker once all steam has released.

    Time: PT5M

  5. Season the Dal

    Stir in 1/2 tsp amchoor and 1/4 tsp garam masala. Mix gently and taste for salt.

    Time: PT1M

  6. Make Tadka (Tempering)

    Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a small pan over medium‑high heat until shimmering. Add 1/2 tsp cumin seeds; let them crack. Add 1/8 tsp asafoetida, sliced green chilli and 1 tbsp thinly sliced ginger; stir for a few seconds until the chilli blisters. Add 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, then turn off the heat.

    Time: PT3M

    Temperature: medium-high

  7. Finish Dish

    Pour the hot tadka over the cooked dal, stir gently, garnish with lemon slices and serve immediately with roti, paratha or rice.

    Time: PT1M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
180
Protein
8 g
Carbohydrates
20 g
Fat
8 g
Fiber
5 g

Dietary info: Vegetarian, Gluten-Free

Allergens: Dairy (ghee)

Last updated: April 11, 2026

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Tadka Urad Dal

Recipe by Manjula's Kitchen

A classic Indian black gram dal tempered with ghee, cumin, ginger, green chilli and a hint of mango powder. This comforting, protein‑rich dish is perfect with roti, paratha or plain rice.

EasyIndianServes 4

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
29m
Prep
11m
Cook
10m
Cleanup
50m
Total

Cost Breakdown

$3.47
Total cost
$0.87
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • Soaking the urad dal for 20 minutes.
  • Cooking the dal under pressure for the correct time.
  • Natural pressure release before opening the cooker.
  • Cracking the cumin seeds in hot ghee.
  • Adding red chilli powder off the heat to prevent bitterness.

Safety Warnings

  • Handle the pressure cooker with care; steam can cause burns.
  • Hot ghee can splatter – keep a safe distance while tempering.
  • Asafoetida is potent; use only the pinch indicated.

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