Dal Tadka – Indian-Style Spiced Yellow Lentils

Name: Dal Tadka – Indian-Style Spiced Yellow Lentils
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup yellow lentils (toor dal or red lentils); 3 cups water; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; 1 medium tomato (chopped); 1 small onion (finely chopped); 2 cloves garlic (chopped); 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; Salt, 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder and fresh coriander

A protein-packed vegan Indian dish of simmered lentils crowned with a sizzling spiced tempering.

Total: 40 min
Servings: 2 servings
Difficulty: Easy
Calories · per serving: 300 kcal

Written by

Ecem Akkaba · Dietitian

Dietitian, graduate of İstanbul Medipol University. She develops the recipes and nutrition values on FitZen.

Updated: July 26, 2026

In short

Dal Tadka – Indian-Style Spiced Yellow Lentils contains 300 calories per serving: 16 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate and 7 g fat. It takes 40 minutes in total and makes 2 servings.

About this recipe

Dal Tadka is a traditional Indian dish where yellow lentils simmered until tender meet spices sizzled in hot oil (tadka). It is rich in plant protein and fiber and forms a balanced meal with brown rice or whole-grain bread.

Method

1
Rinse the lentils a few times and soak them in water for 10 minutes.
2
In a pot, bring the lentils, water and turmeric to a boil.
3
Skim off the foam and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes until the lentils are soft.
4
In a separate pan, heat the olive oil and add the cumin seeds.
5
Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sauté until golden.
6
Add the tomato and chili powder and cook until softened.
7
Pour this spiced mixture (tadka) over the cooked lentils and stir.
8
Adjust the salt, garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.