Dal fry
This Indian vegetarian builds toor dal, turmeric and ghee into an easy meal you can have ready in about 70 minutes. Scroll down for the ingredient checklist, a serving scaler and unit converter, and the method broken into 7 steps.
You'll mainly reach for frying pan / skillet and pan. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, it's meat-free.
What you'll need
Shopping list (7)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegetarian β no meat or fish, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Dairy Mustard
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page β how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Wash and soak toor dal in approx. 3 cups of water, for at least one hours. Dal will be double in volume after soaking. Drain the water.
- Cook dal with 2-1/2 cups water and add salt, turmeric, on medium high heat, until soft in texture (approximately 30 mins) it should be like thick soup.
- In a frying pan, heat the ghee. Add cumin seeds, and mustard seeds. After the seeds crack, add bay leaves, green chili, ginger and chili powder. Stir for a few seconds.
- Add tomatoes, salt and sugar stir and cook until tomatoes are tender and mushy.
- Add cilantro and garam masala cook for about one minute.
- Pour the seasoning over dal mix it well and cook for another minute.
- Serve with Naan.
You'll use: Frying pan / skillet Β· Pan
Watch how it's made
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What to serve with Dal fry
- Chicken Handi Chicken
- Lamb Biryani Lamb
- Tandoori chicken Chicken
- Lamb Rogan josh Lamb
Tips & common questions
How long does Dal fry take to make?
About 70 minutes from start to finish β an estimate based on the 7 steps and 16 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes β use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Dal fry vegetarian?
Its ingredients contain no meat, fish or shellfish, so it is suitable for vegetarians. Check any cheese for animal rennet if that matters to you.
Related recipes
Structured source recipe β not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Recipe data for Dal fry via TheMealDB (open database). βΆ Video. Original source. Consomee adds the scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure β how we source recipes.