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    Recipe Index » Dals / Beans

    Dal Fry Recipe {Restaurant style}

    Published: Aug 9, 2013 · Last Modified: Aug 7, 2019 by Kanan Patel / 38 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe

    The BEST dal fry recipe! This homemade restaurant style dal fry is one of my most frequently made recipes! It’s perfect served with jeera rice or plain basmati rice.

    This super satisfying and delicious dal is made with toor dal (split pigeon peas) and it is cooked with Punjabi onion tomato masala and spices.

    Restaurant style Dal Fry Recipe

    Whenever we go to the North Indian restaurants we end up our dinner with dal fry - jeera rice or dal tadka - jeera rice. Dal fry and dal tadka are the two popular dal dishes that served in Punjabi restaurants. We order dal makhani very rarely because hubby likes this homemade one.

    Dear husband never gets satisfied by the taste of dal fry in Indian restaurants in the USA except for a few restaurants. Most of the restaurants here have “Americanized” taste in Indian food. It usually has mild flavors which we do not like at all. We like spicy (not that spicy but definitely not mild) and rich food when it comes to restaurant food.

    After disappointment in many restaurants’ food taste, I usually try to make popular restaurant recipes at home. For that, I have referred many cookbooks and come up with this recipe. It is exact restaurant style dal fry that we get in India.

    Even though I made it restaurant style, I have not used whole lot of oil like outside food. So it is healthy and you can make it on an everyday basis too.

    This dal fry is very easy and simple to make. If you follow the recipe and use the proportion of ingredients exactly as mentioned, I bet it will taste exactly the same as restaurant one.

    Which dal is used for dal fry?

    Toor dal or arhar dal is used to make this dal fry. But you can also make using other dal e.g. Moong dal, chana dal or you can make using mix of dal like this home style dal fry recipe.

    How is restaurant style dal fry made?

    For making this Punjabi dal fry, onion-tomato is cooked with some spices. Then boiled toor dal is added. Then it is simmered for a few minutes so all the flavors will get mingle. Finally, drizzle some lemon juice and sprinkle coriander leaves. Dal fry is ready to serve.

    How to make dal fry? (Step by step Photos)

    1) Wash arhar dal under running cold water till water runs clear.

    2) Take washed dal and 1 cup of water in a pressure cooker. Cover with the lid, put the weight on. Let it cook on medium heat for 5-6 whistles or till dal becomes soft. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. Keep it aside.

    washed and pressure cooked toor dal

    3) Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle a bit.

    4) Then add chopped onions. Cook till onions are soft and light pink in color.

    5) Then add ginger paste, garlic paste, and chopped green chili.

    6) Saute for a minute or till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.

    collage of tempering cumin seeds and cooking onions

    7) Then add chopped tomatoes and mix.

    8) Cook till tomatoes are soft.

    9) Then add red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, and kasoori methi.

    10) Mix well and cook for a minute.

    collage of cooking tomatoes with spice powders

    11) Then add cooked dal and 1 cup of water.

    12) Mix well and bring it to a boil. Then let it simmer for 5 minutes.

    13) Then turn off the stove. Add chopped cilantro. Also, squeeze some lemon juice.

    14) Mix well. Remove it to a serving bowl.

    collage of adding and simmering the boiled dal

    If not serving right away then keep it covered. So it stays warm till the time of serving. Make this dal fry in your kitchen and let me know how you like it.

    UPDATE: Recently I tried to do the dhungar at the end similar to my dal makhani recipe. The taste was beyond my expectation. Just wow!! Do give it a try, I am sure you will like this smokey flavor in this dal fry recipe.

    What to serve with dal fry?

    • Serve with any mild rice dish. E.g. plain basmati rice, jeera rice, mushroom pulao, peas pulao, corn pulao, capsicum pulao, veg pulao (mild version).
    • You can serve this dal fry with roti or paratha as well.
    How to make Dal fry recipe
    Step by Step Photos AboveWant to make it perfect first time? Don't forget to check out Step-by-Step photo instructions and helpful Tips & Tricks !!
    Dal Fry Recipe | How to make Restaurant style Dal fry recipe
    Print Pin

    Dal Fry Recipe {Restaurant style}

    4.94 from 16 votes
    Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and/or give ★ ratings
    A super easy, super delicious restaurant style dal fry! You’ll never need another dal fry recipe again! This has been my go-to recipe for years, it’s definitely a family favorite. We make it almost every week. It’s a staple recipe.
    Author: Kanan
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: North Indian,Punjabi
    Calories: 182kcal
    Servings 2 -3 servings
    Prep Time 15 minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes
    Total Time 45 minutes
    US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml) See details

    Ingredients  

    To pressure cook the dal:

    • ½ cup Arhar dal (toor dal or split pigeon peas)
    • 1 cup Water

    For dal fry:

    • 2 tablespoons Oil
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
    • 1 small or ½ cup Red onion chopped
    • 1 teaspoon Ginger paste or freshly grated or crushed
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic paste or freshly grated
    • 1 small Green chilies chopped finely
    • 1 medium or ½ cup Tomato chopped
    • ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
    • 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
    • ½ teaspoon Coriander powder
    • ½ teaspoon Cumin powder
    • 1 teaspoon Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) lightly crushed between your plam
    • ½ teaspoon Garam masala
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 cup Water
    • 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
    • few sprigs Cilantro or coriander leaves chopped finely

    Instructions 

    Pressure cooking the dal:

    • Wash arhar dal under running cold water till water runs clear.
    • Take washed dal and 1 cup of water in a pressure cooker. Cover with the lid, put the weight on. Turn the heat on medium. Let it cook for 5-6 whistles or till dal becomes soft. Let the pressure go down by itself then open the lid. Keep it aside.

    Making dal fry recipe:

    • Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add cumin seeds. Let them sizzle a bit.
    • Then add chopped onions and cook till onions are soft, light pink in color.
    • Then add ginger paste, garlic paste, and chopped green chili.
    • Saute for a minute or till the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
    • Then add chopped tomatoes and mix.
    • Cook till tomatoes are soft.
    • Then add red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and kasoori methi. Mix well and cook for a minute.
    • Then add cooked dal and 1 cup of water.
    • Mix well and bring it to a boil. Then let it simmer for 5 minutes.
    • Then turn off the stove. Add chopped cilantro. Also, squeeze some lemon juice.
    • Mix well. Remove it to a serving bowl.

    Video

    Nutrition

    Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 11.8g | Protein: 3.1g | Fat: 14.4g | Saturated Fat: 1.9g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 606mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2.9g
    *Nutrition information is a rough estimate for 1 serving
    Did you make this recipe?Snap a pic, mention @spice.up.the.curry or tag #spiceupthecurry. I would love to see.
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    Comments

    1. Sundar

      October 24, 2019 at 11:38 am

      Wonderful to taste at home5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        October 25, 2019 at 10:11 am

        yes it is.

        Reply
    2. B. K. Trivedi

      August 30, 2019 at 6:24 am

      Iwill tell my wife to follow this recipe.

      Reply
      • Kanan

        August 30, 2019 at 11:29 am

        sure. Hope you both enjoy

        Reply
    3. KIRTI

      February 17, 2019 at 11:36 am

      I made this today while visiting my parents. My mom said it was better than hers so you know if your mom says it, it's a huge hit. I cut up some onions with cilantro to eat on the side with Kawan parathas and it was a huge hit. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • Kanan

        February 19, 2019 at 11:44 am

        that is a huge compliment. 🙂
        Glad that everyone enjoyed.

        Reply
    4. rakhiIndia.in

      July 05, 2017 at 2:20 am

      Very nice and simple recipe Dal fry recipe I tried it and it came out superb...thanx5 stars

      Reply
      • Kanan

        July 05, 2017 at 4:32 pm

        Glad to know that it came out good.

        Reply
    5. raajanya gupta

      April 16, 2017 at 2:15 pm

      nice one5 stars

      Reply
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    Kanan

    Hi, I'm Kanan Patel. I share easy, delicious vegetarian recipes (mostly Indian) and Eggless baking recipes that you can sure count on!

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