Won’t it be a cardinal sin, if I miss posting the Punjabi style Dal fry when my theme is all about lentils and legumes? So here is my version of Dhaba Style Dal Fry, bursting with the flavors of kasoori methi and other spices. Check out the Instant Pot and pressure cooker versions of the dal fry and don’t miss the video.
When I was going through my archives this summer, I realized I have posted quite a few dal recipes but apparently missed this Punjabi style dal fry. Again, I am glad I missed it. :-) Isn’t this a perfect time to post this dal fry? When I started cooking North Indian food, I always get confused between dal tadka and dal fry.
Then my friend V explained the differences. In simple words, dal tadka is the simple dal tempering without much spices, onion, and tomatoes and you add the tempering to the boiled dal, whereas in dal fry you add the cooked dal to the tempering and tempering is prepared with a whole lot of spices and with onions and tomatoes. Also, dal tadka is usually thinner in consistency when compared to dal fry. The sky is the limit, and you can create zillion varieties of this dal tadka and dal dry.
How I Prepare Dhaba Style Dal Fry
I do prepare a simple dal fry with onions, tomatoes, coriander, red chili powder and of course kasoori methi. Sometimes I add the khada masala, but sometimes I skip them too. But for this recipe, I included all the spice powders and also the whole spices/khada masala. These days, Vaandu prefers the dal fry instead of the plain dal tadka. That was one more reason to pick this sub-theme under protein-rich recipes. :-)
When I was exploring the dal recipes, I came across this dal fry recipe, where the author used mixed dals for preparing the dal fry. The idea of mixed dal intrigued me and given the fact that this is a protein rich series, I decided to go with mixed dals as well.
Without any further ado, here comes the Dal fry recipe and the video. Please subscribe to my youtube channel and stay tuned for new recipes.
Recap
- 2015 | Day 23 – Aval Upma
- 2016 | Day 23 – Samosa
- 2017 | Day 23 – Instant Pot Dal Fry | Dhaba Style Dal Fry
Instant Pot Dal Fry | Dhaba Style Dal Fry Recipe
The popular Punjabi Dhaba style dal fry prepared with mixed lentils, dried fenugreek and assorted spices.
Ingredients:
- Red Masoor Dal – 2 tbsps
- Brown Masoor Dal – 2 tbsps
- Moong Dal – 2 tbsps
- Toor Dal – 2 tbsps
- Channa dal – 2 tbsps
- Green Moong Dal – 2 tbsps
- Oil – 2 tsps
- Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
- Green Cardamom – 1
- Cloves – 2
- Cinnamon – 1-inch piece
- Hing – ½ tsp
- Half of medium sized onion
- Tomato – 1
- Garlic – 1
- Ginger – 1-inch piece
- Bay leaf – 1
- Chopped Cilantro – ¼ cup
- Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
- Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
- Red Chili Powder – ½ tsp
- Salt – 1.5 tsps
- Sugar – 1 tsp
- Kasoori Methi – ½ tbsp
- Water – 3 cups + 1 cup
- Milk/cream – 2 tsps (optional)
Prep – Work:
- Wash all the dals and let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Chop the onion, tomato, and cilantro and set aside.
- Cut the green chili, garlic, and ginger into small pieces.
Steps:
Instant Pot Method:
- Set the IP in saute mode and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and green cardamom.
- Fry for a minute and add the green chili, ginger, garlic pieces and hing.
- Saute for a minute and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and all the dry spices including salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder.
- Mix them thoroughly and add the mix dals.
- Add 3 cups of water and mix the ingredients.
- Set the IP in manual mode and cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, let it sit for 5 minutes and then do a quick pressure release.
- Carefully open the lid after the pressure is dropped.
- Mash the dal nicely with a potato masher and add one more cup of water.
- Now add sugar, ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and crushed kasoori methi.
- Stir them all together and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- And that’s it. Dal fry is ready.
Pressure Cooker Method:
- Pressure cook the mixed dals by adding turmeric powder and three cups of water for three to four whistles.
- Let it cool and then mash the dal and set aside.
- Heat a pan or kadai and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and green cardamom.
- Fry for a minute and add the green chili, ginger, garlic pieces and hing.
- Saute for a minute and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and all the dry spices including salt, red chili powder, coriander powder.
- Now add the cooked dal and mix well and let it simmer for two minutes.
- Then add one more cup of water, sugar, ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and crushed kasoori methi.
- Stir them all together and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- And that’s it. Dal fry is ready.
Notes:
- You can do the tempering with ghee for rich flavor.
- Also instead of mixed dals, you can use any one dal variety and prepare the dal fry.
- Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference.
- Before serving you can add a dollop of ghee on top or add some fresh cream or milk.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Dal Fry | Dhaba Style Dal Fry
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps Red Masoor Dal
- 2 tbsps Brown Masoor Dal
- 2 tbsps Moong Da
- 2 tbsps Toor Dal
- 2 tbsps Channa dal
- 2 tbsps Green Moong Dal
- 2 tsps Oil
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 Green Cardamom
- 2 Cloves
- 1 piece Cinnamon 1-inch
- ½ Hing - ½ tsp
- ½ Onion medium sized
- 1 Tomato
- 1 Garlic
- 1 piece Ginger 1-inch
- 1 Bay leaf
- ¼ cup Chopped Cilantro
- ¼ cup Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 ½ tsps Salt - 1.5 tsps
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ½ tbsp Kasoori Methi
- 3 cups Water + 1 cup
- 2 tsps Milk/cream optional
Instructions
Prep - Work
- Wash all the dals and let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Chop the onion, tomato, and cilantro and set aside.
- Cut the green chili, garlic, and ginger into small pieces.
Steps
Instant Pot Method
- Set the IP in saute mode and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and green cardamom.
- Fry for a minute and add the green chili, ginger, garlic pieces and hing.
- Saute for a minute and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and all the dry spices including salt, red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder.
- Mix them thoroughly and add the mix dals.
- Add 3 cups of water and mix the ingredients.
- Set the IP in manual mode and cook for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, let it sit for 5 minutes and then do a quick pressure release.
- Carefully open the lid after the pressure is dropped.
- Mash the dal nicely with a potato masher and add one more cup of water.
- Now add sugar, ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and crushed kasoori methi.
- Stir them all together and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- And that's it. Dal fry is ready.
Pressure Cooker Method
- Pressure cook the mixed dals by adding turmeric powder and three cups of water for three to four whistles.
- Let it cool and then mash the dal and set aside.
- Heat a pan or kadai and add oil.
- Once the oil is hot add the bay leaf, cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, and green cardamom.
- Fry for a minute and add the green chili, ginger, garlic pieces and hing.
- Saute for a minute and add the chopped onion. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
- Then add the chopped tomatoes and all the dry spices including salt, red chili powder, coriander powder.
- Now add the cooked dal and mix well and let it simmer for two minutes.
- Then add one more cup of water, sugar, ¼ cup of chopped cilantro and crushed kasoori methi.
- Stir them all together and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
- And that's it. Dal fry is ready.
Notes
- You can do the tempering with ghee for rich flavor.
- Also instead of mixed dals, you can use any one dal variety and prepare the dal fry.
- Adjust the salt and spices as per your preference.
- Before serving you can add a dollop of ghee on top or add some fresh cream or milk.
Nutrition
I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.
P.S. Follow my Pinterest boards for more healthy and delicious recipes.
Enjoying Dhaba Style Dal Fry? You will love these, too:
- Instant Pot Pesaru Pappu Charu
- Lucknowi Veg Biryani
- Mango Thokku | Grated Mango Pickle
- Cherry Rasam | South Indian Style Cherry Soup
- Instant Pot Vegetarian Dalcha
I haven’t had a dal fry for a long time now, – can’t wait to make it at home!
Thanks for sharing this post.
Thanks. Glad you liked it.
Made this yesterday, it was wonderful. Thank you.
Note though that the directions did not mention cooking the chopped tomatoes, instead the onions are mentioned twice. No big deal at all; again, the dal fry was extremely good and I am copying it onto paper to go into my regular meal rotation :-)
— John
Thanks a lot for your comment and glad it liked it. I am really sorry about the mistake. Will update it right away. :-)
You have explained the dal fry very elaborately
Dhaba style dal fry is very inviting
Thanks Ruchi.
Glad you didn’t commit the cardinal sin of missing out on The punjabi dal fry. Looks very tempting and delicious. And perfect time to post since – winter is coming!
he he he… Thanks Sowmya.
My elder one and husband are quite fond of this and thanks for an elaborate recipe too ! Glad ur kid likes this too , vidhya
:-) Glad you liked it Kalyani. Thanks
When I go back to Montreal I’ll be definitely referring to your recipes for the Instant pot ideas. Have loved your different dals from all over India and dhaba style dal is absolutely a must whenever we stop at roadside dhabas.
Thanks much Mayuri. Glad you liked it.
Love your version of Dal fry vidhya ,and its great that you have added many varieties of Dal. Unmaiyai sollunga how many kgs of Dal this month shopping pannuninga ?
he he he… Adu neraiya kilo erukum. ;-) Thanks da.
For everyday cooking we skip the khada masala and add it occasionally if it’s a party or festival. Dhaba dal looks so delicious and it’s good for you that you did not posted it before.
:-) Thanks a lot Sapana.
bookmarking this one. I love this dal seems like I have committed the cardinal sin and not made this dal. Will rectify asap.
he he he… please do. :-)
That is wonderful that you haven’t shared this till now, comes so handy and makes the list complete too!..
Oh yeah very true.
Dhaba style dal fry is my favourite, though personally i never prepared them at home, simply love the varieties of dals you have till now Vidhya, keep on going.
Thanks much Priya.
Dal looks yum yum… love this Dal with hot Rice.. superb
Thanks Ruchi.
Dhabba style daal has generally loads of variations , I like the idea of mixed daals , like you said apt for the theme . The daal looks fantastic with all these ingredients .
Thanks a lot Vaishali.