Warm, richly spiced, and built for a satisfying meal, Masoor Dal Tadka Recipe - Dhaba Style | Akkha Masoor is a vegetarian Indian dal made with whole masoor dal, oil, and bay leaf in about 35 minutes. The recipe lays out the ingredients and each cooking step clearly, so you can adjust seasoning, texture, and serving size for your own kitchen.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 5 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 5 Servings
  • Category: dal
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

for pressure cooking:

  • 1 cup whole masoor dal
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ tsp cloves
  • 1 pod black cardamom
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
  • 1 inch ginger (grated)
  • 1 onion (finely chopped)
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • ½ tsp cumin powder
  • pinch hing
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 2 tomato (chopped)
  • 3 cup water
  • 2 tbsp coriander (finely chopped)

for tempering:

  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 chilli
  • pinch hing
  • pinch chilli powder
  • pinch garam masala

Method

  1. Firstly, in a bowl soak 1 cup whole masoor dal for 4 hours. If you are soaking in hot water then soak for 30 minutes.
  2. In a pressure cooker take 2 tbsp oil. Add 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp cloves, 1 pod black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon and 1 tsp cumin. Saute until the spice turn aroamtic.
  3. Also saute 4 cloves garlic, 1 inch ginger till it turns aromatic.
  4. Further, add 1 onion and saute well.
  5. Keeping the flame on low, add ½ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, ½ tsp cumin powder, pinch thing and 1 tsp salt. Saute on low flame until the spices turn aromatic.
  6. Add 2 tomato and saute until the tomato softens.
  7. Now add soaked dal, 3 cup water and mix well.
  8. Pressure cook for 5 whistles or until the dal is cooked well.
  9. Mash the dal slightly, to get desired consistency.
  10. To prepare the tempering, heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add 1 tsp cumin, 2 chilli, pinch thing, pinch chilli powder and pinch garam masala.
  11. Mix till the spices turn aromatic.
  12. Pour the tempering over the dal and add 2 tbsp coriander. Mix well.
  13. Finally, enjoy Akhha Masoor Dal Recipe with roti or rice.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.