--- title: "Dal: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Dal is both the split lentils, peas and beans of South Asian cooking and the spiced stew made from them. See how to cook it soft and finish it with tadka." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/dal" --- # Dal Dal is both the split lentils, peas and beans of South Asian cooking and the spiced stew made from them. See how to cook it soft and finish it with tadka. Also called Daal, Dhal, Tadka dal. Dal means two things. It is the word for split pulses, such as lentils, split peas and split beans. It is also the name of the dish made from them: a soupy or thick stew, cooked soft and seasoned with spices. Dal is everyday food across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, eaten with rice or flatbread. ## How to do it 1. Rinse 200 g (1 cup) of split lentils, such as red lentils or yellow split pigeon peas, until the water runs clear. 2. Put them in a pot with about 1 liter (4 cups) of water, a pinch of turmeric and salt. 3. [Simmer](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/simmer), skimming off the foam, until the lentils are soft and break down. Red lentils take 15 to 20 minutes. Some other dals take 30 to 45 minutes, or much less in a pressure cooker. 4. Whisk or mash to the texture you like, and add water if it is too thick. 5. For the tadka, heat [ghee](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/ghee) or oil in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add sliced garlic, dried chili, or chopped onion and cook [until fragrant](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/until-fragrant). 6. Pour the hot tadka over the dal and stir it in. Finish with cilantro (coriander in the UK) or lemon. ## Why it works Spices give up much of their flavor into hot fat. Frying them at the end, called tadka or tempering, [blooms](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bloom) them, and pouring that fat on top gives fresh, strong aroma that would fade if it had cooked for an hour. ## Common mistakes * Skipping the rinse. Dusty lentils make a murky, foamy dal. * Adding the tadka too early. Its aroma is best right at the end. * Burning the garlic in the tadka. It turns bitter. Pull it off the heat when it is light golden. * Making it too thick. Dal thickens a lot as it cools. Thin leftovers with hot water. ## In recipes Recipes use names like _masoor dal_ (red lentils), _toor dal_ (pigeon peas), _moong dal_ (mung beans) and _chana dal_ (split chickpeas). The name tells you which pulse to buy. Dal is often served beside a [curry](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/curry). Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. ## Dal recipes 2 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Chicken-Dal-Curry-1-3.jpg)Chicken Dal Currywww.skinnytaste.com · 75 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/burma-superstar-chicken-dal-curry/) * [![](https://minimalistbaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Instant-Pot-RED-LENTILS-SQUARE.jpg)Instant Pot Red Lentils (Tender, Fast, No Soaking!)minimalistbaker.com · 27 min](https://minimalistbaker.com/instant-pot-red-lentils-tender-fast-no-soaking/) ## Related terms * [CurryA curry is a spiced dish of meat, fish or vegetables in a sauce, from South Asia and beyond. See how to build one, from frying spices to the final simmer.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/curry) * [BloomTo bloom is to wake up an ingredient in liquid or fat before use, like soaking gelatin, proving yeast or frying spices. Here is how each one works.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bloom) * [GheeGhee is butter cooked until the milk solids brown and are strained out. It tastes nutty, fries at high heat and keeps for months in a cupboard.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/ghee) * [SimmerA simmer is liquid kept just below boiling, with small, gentle bubbles rising to the surface. It cooks soups, stews and sauces without toughening them.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/simmer) * [Until fragrantUntil fragrant means cook garlic, spices or nuts just until you can clearly smell them, often 30 to 60 seconds. Any longer and they turn bitter.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/until-fragrant) [More in dishes](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/dishes)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)