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close up of a pot of dal, and a ladle taking some dal from the pot, with a small bowl of chutney and a papad in the background.
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Simple Toor Dal Recipe (Daali Varan)

A simple toor dal recipe, that uses only a handful of very basic seasonings, and is ready under 30 minutes.
Course Beginner Recipes, Indian Curries, Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Konkani
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 3
Calories 341kcal

Ingredients

  • ½ cup toor dal (split yellow pigeon peas)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon black pepper powder (coarsely ground)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
  • ¼ cup water or as required

For tempering

  • 2-3 teaspoon ghee
  • ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
  • ¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)

Instructions

  • Take ½ cup of toor dal, and properly wash and rinse it, and strain away the excess water.
  • Pressure cook it with 3 times the water. I usually use my Instant Pot to boil dal. For this toor dal recipe, for ½ cup toor dal, I use cup water, and pressure cook on high for 14 minutes, and then let all the pressure release naturally from the pot.
  • Then in a pot, add the boiled dal, and ¼ cup water to thin out the dal a bit.
  • Now to the dal, add about 1 teaspoon of salt, ¾ teaspoon of coarsely ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, and mix it in.
  • Cook on medium flame for 5-10 minutes, till there is a proper boil.

For making the tempering

  • In a small tadka pan, lightly heat up 2-3 teaspoons of ghee.
  • To it, add ¾ teaspoon of cumin seeds, and lightly roast it for 30-60 seconds, till it starts to flutter.
  • Then add ¼ teaspoon hing, mix it in, and let it roast for about 30-60 seconds on low flame, to ensure it doesn't burn, and then turn off the gas.
  • Add this tempering to the dal, mix it in, and this simple and easy toor dal recipe is ready!
  • Daali varan goes best with rice, and maybe some papad and pickle on the side.

Video

Notes

I usually add some water to the boiled dal to thin it out, but if you want a thicker dal, you can skip the water, or add more water for a thinner dal.
You might also need to add more water to boiled dal if you have either used less than 3 times the water to pressure cook the dal, or are using boiled dal that was refrigerated.
Whatever the case, use as much water as you need to achieve your preferred consistency of dal, and adjust the salt and seasonings accordingly.
Please note: The nutrition values are best estimates provided as a courtesy. The exact values can vary depending on the exact ingredients or brands used. If you rely on them for your specific diet and/or health issues, please consult a registered dietician or nutritionist.

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 2392mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 13g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 4mg