Arhar Dal | Toor Dal | Tuvar Dal

Arhar dal or Toor dal or Tuvar dal recipe with step by step photos:  A popular lentil based vegetarian dish prepared in Indian homes. 

This dish is made with split pigeon peas. Also known as red gram, toor dal, tuvar dal, thuvaram paruppu, kandhi pappu. Arhar dal is skinned, split, and has a yellow color. It is full of protein and many nutrients. Hence adding it to the daily diet is a great way to eat healthier.

What is Dal

About This Recipe

Step by Step Preparations

• Wash and soak toor dal for at least 20 minutes unless you are in a hurry.
• Add soaked dal in the pressure cooker with water, add turmeric powder, salt, and 2-3 drops of oil. Pressure cook over medium flame for 5 to 6 whistles or until soft and mushy.

• Then beat lightly with a spoon or whisk and set aside. 
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, followed by chopped garlic, chopped green chilies. Saute until the garlic turns golden. Immediately pour the tempering over dal. Stir to mix. 
• Add chopped coriander leaves and ghee if adding. 
• Stir to mix and serve hot.

Notes

• Soaking the lentils before cooking helps in fastening the cooking process and eases digestion. I would suggest soaking the dal in water for at least 20 minutes before cooking unless you are in a hurry.
• Do add  2-3 drops of oil while pressure cooking. It prevents the dal from frothing while it cooks.

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5 from 2 votes

Arhar Dal | Toor Dal | Tuvar Dal

Simple, nutritious yet tasty everyday dal made with split pigeon peas. A basic arhar dal that uses very few common ingredients and is ready within 20 minutes.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time15 mins

Total Time20 mins

Course Lunch, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Arhar dal, Toor dal, Tuvar dal

Servings3 people

Author Geetanjali

INGREDIENTS ( 1 CUP = 250 ML )

For Cooking the Dal

• ½ cup arhar dal/split pigeon peas
• 1 ½ cup water
• 2 medium-sized tomatoes chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• Salt as required
• 2-3 drops oil (if cooking in a pressure cooker)

For Tempering/Tadka

• 1 tbsp oil (I have used sunflower oil)
• ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 4 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1-2 green or red chilies chopped

Others

• 1 tbsp ghee/clarified butter (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp fresh coriander/cilantro finely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

• Wash and soak toor dal for at least 20 minutes unless you are in a hurry.
• Add soaked dal in the pressure cooker with water, add turmeric powder, salt, and 2-3 drops of oil. Pressure cook over medium flame for 5 to 6 whistles or until soft and mushy.
• Then beat lightly with a spoon or whisk and set aside.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, followed by chopped garlic, chopped green chilies. Saute until the garlic turns golden. Immediately pour the tempering over dal. Stir to mix.
• Add chopped coriander leaves and ghee if adding.
• Stir to mix and serve hot.

Notes

• Soaking the lentils before cooking helps in fastening the cooking process and eases digestion. I would suggest soaking the dal in water for at least 20 minutes before cooking unless you are in a hurry.
• Do add 2-3 drops of oil while pressure cooking. It prevents the dal from frothing while it cooks.