Dal Recipes- India is one of the few countries that is blessed with variety in almost every aspect, food being the most obvious one. The unquestionable love and celebration of good food has been bringing people together since decades, and when we think of good food, one of our most loved preparations comes to mind - the quintessential Dal. From Dal Makhani to Panchratna Dal, it is the undying love for dal that most Indian households happen to include this flavoursome and versatile staple in our daily diet.
What may seem simple and basic at first glance, actually encompasses an amazing variety. From masoor, tuar, channa, moong and urad, Dal is something that constitutes an integral part of every Indian meal. You'll find it whistling away in cookers in every home and hotel. Simple or elaborately cooked; it's the lifeline of a regular Indian platter.
Flavourful, simple and full of nutrients, one is sure to get an amalgamation of great taste with wholesome goodness. And now, your crash course to crack the art of cooking Dal is here, from simple to sophisticated.
Try our 15 best Dal recipes - read, learn and get cooking!
1. Dal Tempered with Clay
Ever thought of savouring a delicacy infused with an earthy aroma? Here's a special gem of a dal, infused with kasoora clay and goodness of spices! Red masoor dal with garlic and clay pieces gives this dish of dal a beautiful earthy flavour which makes this dal recipe distinctive.
A different dal recipe for your next meal. Image credits: iStock
2. Dhaba Dal
A dal complete with tangy masalas and spices, too tasty to resist. Image credits: iStock3. Maa Ki Dal
Straight from the Punjabi kitchen, this one is a complete crowd pleaser! Made with hearty ingredients like black dal, butter, cream, yogurt and truck loads of love. Pair with a chapati or rice and have a hearty meal.
Direct from Punjab, this maa ki dal recipe won't disappoint you! Image credits: iStock4. Gujarati Dal
This one comes with a distinct blend of masalas along with sweet and tangy toor dal made in a delicious Gujarati style with potatoes and peanuts. Tempered with loads of spices and tomatoes for a mouth watering result.
Pair with rice or have with chapati, this Gujarati dal is a great option for lunch. Image credits: iStock5. Tadka Dal (Bengali Style)
An easy and simple way to cook your dal the Bengali way. Creamy channa dal served with a beautiful aroma of mustard and coconut along with whole red chilli tempered over. Pair with rice or chapati and savour the spicy, tangy dal.
Chana dal made in perfect Bengali style with a spicy tadka. Image credits: iStock6. Panchratna Dal
A delicious Sindhi recipe. Here's to the power of five! Moong, channa, masoor, urad and tuar or arhar, the best of dals, come together to sear and simmer in a host of spices for a rich, creamy dish.
The best of five dals in a delicious blend of spices, Panchratna dal is a gem of a dish filled with nutrients. Image credits: iStock
7. Dal Makhni
One of the classics! Dal Makhani is the absolute favorite recipe that can easily be cooked to perfection at home. An all-time favourite recipe with urad dal cooked in masalas, tomato puree and cream. It is often made in Indian homes for dinner and can also be made for dinner parties. You will often find this dal makhani on many restaurant menus as well. A luscious, creamy dal recipe loaded with butter, this can be served with naan or paratha or accompany with some cooked rice.
Urad dal with the flavors of butter, kasoori methi, chillies and tomatoes, together makes a sumptuous main course dish.8. Chironji Ki Dal
A hit during the days of fasting. Simple yet impressive, this recipe combines chironji with rich Indian flavours. Give it a try!
9. Aamti
An authentic Maharastrian Dal with yellow gram, mustard seeds, spices and kokam. Tempered with chillies, garam masala, curry leaves and mustard seeds. A perfect lunch recipe when paired with cooked rice or chapati.
(Also read: Aamti Recipe In Hindi)
A comfort dish from Maharashtra, this Aamti recipe is a no onion no garlic recipe. Image credits: iStock
10. Pachmela Dal
From the land of warriors, here is a beautiful blend of dals coupled with aromatic spices, generously cooked in ghee.
An authentic Rajasthani preparation with the goodness of five dals. Image credits: iStock11. Bengali Style Chana Dal
Bengali Style Chana Dal is a delicious lentil dish cooked with Bengal gram or chana dal. This dish of dal is flavored with coconut, ghee and an assortment of whole spices. Cooked in the pressure cooker it only takes about 40 minutes to prepare the whole dish which makes it an easy and quick and light lunch or dinner option. Serve it with steamed rice or just chapatis for a humble meal.
12. Dal Parantha
Parantha is a staple Indian bread, popularly made in all North Indian homes. It comes with a great variety of stuffing, from vegetables like aloo and gobi to even non-vegetarian stuffings like keema. A lot of people have plain paranthas paired with a dry sabzi. You can cook parathas for a heavy brunch paired with curd or pickles or for dinner as well. This easy and quick recipe is of Dal Parantha, made with cooked and mashed moong dal stuffed inside hot and piping parathas. Pair with curd and savour this delicious meal.
13. Moong Dal Cheela
Cheela is an instant, easy, nutritious, low calorie breakfast recipe that is cooked across Indian homes as a staple food. It has a pancake look with a savoury taste and can be served for breakfast or mid-day snack. Packed with the nutritious moong dal, you can even pack this cheela recipe for kids tiffin.
14. Langarwali Dal
What makes the Langarwali dal unique is how simple the recipe is, yet it turns into one of the most luscious and velvety dal that you could dip your rotis into.
15. Sindhi Tidli Dal
This sindhi dal is made by using three different dals and that are chana dal, urad dal and green chilka dal. It is then enhanced by a rich and flavourful tadka made by ghee, hing, garlic and cumin seeds.
Try these stellar dal recipes at home and let us know your experience in the comments section below.