Yellow Dal Recipe
This yellow dal is made with yellow lentils cooked with mustard seeds and ghee. Served over steamed rice and a side of fry fish this makes the perfect weekday lunch. It takes just 20 minutes to make the dal and it can be customized in so many ways.
Lentils have now become the superfoods in regular but especially in vegan cooking. And, in fact, recipes for making Indian dal become very creative. This simple Indian dal is often called ‘poor man food’ in India and that’s because of the simplicity of this recipe and the fact that lentils used to be the most affordable food to keep in your dry stores. Of course, it is also very healthy and good for your body.
Growing up, coming home from school to a simple yellow dal with steamed rice and fried fish was absolute heaven. Mom always made some crispy fried papad and mango pickle to go along with it.
I always cook my dal in the pressure cooker or instant pot because it gives the best texture by softening the dal so it’s an almost paste-like consistency. You can cook the dal on the stovetop as well but it needs more cooking time and the texture stays grainy which some prefer. Details are below in the recipe card.
In the interest of saving time an alternate method, to make dal is to precook the dal in the pressure cooker first and store the cooked dal in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
Then, saute the veggies in oil (tadka) and add the cooked dal to the pan. This saves time and lunch is ready in less than 15 minutes. If you like spicy dal then you can also try my Dal Makhani with bottle masala or chana dal recipe.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Dal – I am using yellow moong dal but you can use a combination of dal such as 3/4 cup moong dal, 1/4 cup toor darl, and 1/4 cup channa dal. It makes for a lovely texture. This recipe will also work with red lentils, green lentils, or a combination of other lentils.
- Mustard seeds – I have yet to find a recipe for dal without spluttered mustard seeds. It just is a wonderful combination.
- Ghee or clarified butter – while you can replace it with oil, this small amount does add a wonderful flavor and aroma to this dish. Highly recommend using it.
- Garlic – I like to add garlic to my dal as well as my tadka but you can add it only to the tadka
- Ginger is another favorite but not usually used to add flavor to dal but you can certainly omit it.
- Chily – I like to use a combination of red and green chilies but you can also use chilly flakes.
- Herbs – a combination of dill (shepu) and coriander leaves is my absolute favorite but you can omit the dill as it does have a strong aroma.
Tips for Success
- Lentils and pulses are stored for months in sacks and storage facilities which is why rinsing them more than a few times in running water is very very important.
- Soaking the lentils will ensure that the dal is softened which gives a better texture to the dal as compared to a grainy texture when you cook unsoaked
- Some people like dal soft while others like to see the individual grains (al dante) as I have done today. So adjust the cooking time to suit your preference.
- The quality of your lentils and legumes will often determine the cooking time. Older dal may take a few minutes longer to cook which is why soaking is very important.
- This is an easier, fuss-free recipe to make dal in one pot. Traditionally, dal is often soaked and cooked in water in a pressure cooker without any spices or seasoning. Then, a tadka (tempering) is prepared and added to the dal just before serving. This was an easier way to prepare large quantities of lentils and save them for later use.
- Don’t be afraid to adjust the species to make it spicer.
- You can also add diced vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, spinach, etc to the dal to make it more nutritious
- For restaurant-style dal – add up to 4 tbsp of ghee!
- Once the dal is ready, you can add more water if required to adjust consistency. Similarly, if you prefer it thicker, just cook on high for a few minutes until the excess water evaporates.
Pin this and other East-Indian Recipes on Pinterest here. Don’t forget to like and Follow for more recipes.
Yellow Dal – Yellow Lentils Recipe
Print Pin RateIngredients
- 1 cup Yellow lentils split moong dal
- 1 tbsp Ghee up to 4 tbsp
- 1 tbsp Cooking oil
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 4 Curry leaves
- 2 Green chilies slit
- 2 Red chilies seeds removed and roughly chopped
- ½ tsp Cumin seeds jeera
- 2 large Garlic cloves sliced thinly
- ½ inch Ginger sliced thinly
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder haldi
- ½ cup Onions chopped
- ¼ cup Dill chopped (shepu leaves)
- ½ cup Coriander leaves chopped
- 2 cups Vegetable stock
- 1 cup Water
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Clean, sort, and wash lentils. Time permitting soak in cold water for 30 minutes. Pro tip – soaking will soften the lentils making them cook evenly and reduce the cooking time.
- In a pressure cooker – melt the ghee and oil. Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to splutter. Next, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, and both red and green chilies. Saute for just 30 seconds to a minute keeping the heat to low so you don't burn the leaves and garlic. For Instant pot – use the saute mode and turn it off when if it becomes too hot. Since you can't lower heat turning it off and on is the best way to manage the heat1 tbsp Ghee, 1 tbsp Cooking oil, 1 tsp Mustard seeds, 4 Curry leaves, 2 Green chilies, 2 Red chilies, ½ tsp Cumin seeds, 2 large Garlic cloves, ½ inch Ginger, ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- Next, add the onions and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the turmeric powder and cook for 30 seconds.½ cup Onions
- Add in the drained lentils followed by the vegetable stock and water. Add the dill and coriander leaves, then season with salt and pepper.1 cup Yellow lentils, ¼ cup Dill, ½ cup Coriander leaves, 2 cups Vegetable stock, 1 cup Water, ½ tsp Salt, ¼ tsp Pepper
- Cover the cook the dal – For the pressure cooker and put the lid with the valve and whistle. Cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles and let natural release– for the Instant pot -first, switch the saute mode off. Then, cover the lid to the closed position and set the valve to seal. Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes and let natural release– for stovetop – it will take from 30 to 45 minutes depending on how long the lentils were soaked. Pro tip – It is best to use natural release otherwise the lentil particles can go into the whistle or seal valve which is difficult to clean.
- When open, mix well and check for consistency adding water if necessary. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with more chopped coriander leaves.
Recipe Notes
- Lentils and pulses are stored for months in sacks and storage facilities which is why rinsing them more than a few times in running water is very very important.
- Soaking the lentils will ensure that the dal is softened which gives a better texture to the dal as compared to a grainy texture when you cook unsoaked
- Some people like dal soft while others like to see the individual grains (al dante) as I have done today. So adjust the cooking time to suit your preference.
- The quality of your lentils and legumes will often determine the cooking time. Older dal may take a few minutes longer to cook which is why soaking is very important.
- This is an easier, fuss-free recipe to make dal in one pot. Traditionally, dal is often soaked and cooked in water in a pressure cooker without any spices or seasoning. Then, a tadka (tempering) is prepared and added to the dal just before serving. This was an easier way to prepare large quantities of lentils and save them for later use.
- Don’t be afraid to adjust the species to make it spicer.
- You can also add diced vegetables such as carrots, zucchini, spinach, etc to the dal to make it more nutritious
- For restaurant-style dal – add up to 4 tbsp of ghee!
- Once the dal is ready, you can add more water if required to adjust consistency. Similarly, if you prefer it thicker, just cook on high for a few minutes until the excess water evaporates.
About Videos – most recipes has two videos – a quick version in the post & longer detailed version on this recipe card. Please do subscribe to my channel if you like my videos
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
outstanding … you’re a culinary angel! Thank you.
Thank you so much Randy
I love this recipe! So quick and easy in my instapot. I make it every week and serve with rice. Definitely a go-to classic.