Toor Dal (Arhar Dal) Recipe

Toor dal also known as Arhar Dal in Hindi are split pigeon peas, a staple in the Indian Cuisine. These lentils are cooked with spices and herbs for a protein-rich, flavor-packed and fast vegetarian meal. In this post I share a simplest toor dal recipe for beginners. It can be made in a regular pot on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker/ instant pot.

About Toor Dal

Toor Dal is every Indian cooks’ first lentil dish and any one learning to cook starts with it because these lentils are easily digestible, filling, comforting and more importantly easy to make. There are a zillion ways to cook with toor dal and every home makes it in a different way. But most Indians use a pressure cooker to cook lentils as it saves time, energy and cost.

More over it is possible to stack 2 to 3 bowls and cook your dal, rice & veggies together all at one time, in a pressure cooker. This method is known as pot-in-pot method & has been used for many decades. If you are a beginner, this method is the best because you don’t need to clean/wash up your entire cooker/ steel insert, everytime you use it.

While your rice and dal cooks in the cooker, you can prep-up and make your tempering. In this post I’m using that method but if you don’t have a cooker, you may cook in a pot as mentioned below.

Since this is a basic everyday Toor Dal, I don’t complicate it using ingredients like onions, tamarind, jaggery, kasuri methi, garam masala, amchur etc. However I give the options below in the step by step instructions. Remember you need some time to reach to every jar of these & that adds up to the total cook time. I reserve these ingredients for a more eloborate or special dishes like a Dal Tadka or Dal Fry (also made with toor dal).

Many a times I don’t even use mustard, curry leaves and ginger in this recipe. It still turns out good. If I have them left while prepping up another dish, I use them. So it’s alright even if you don’t have the optional ingredients mentioned below. Make sure you use the right amount of chili and salt.

Consistency of Dal

I’m often asked about the right consistency of dal. It is a personal preference & is region based. Ex: A Gujarati dal is made to a runny consistency and a Tomato Pappu is cooked to a thicker consistency. I have seen homes making runny dal irrespective of the region and that’s because they eat lentils every single day and at every meal.

Eating thicker dal for every meal can be heavy for digestion. So it is kept runny and that goes well with rice, not with flatbreads. My Mom always made a thick dal so I make it the same way and we don’t eat dal for every single meal. So adjust the consistency to your liking but don’t add cold water. Add hot water before adding the tadka/tempering.

Stovetop Toor Dal (No cooker)

If you do not have a cooker, rinse 1 cup toor dal and optionally soak in 3 cups hot water for 30 mins. Soaking cuts down the cook time & also improves the texture. Later, bring to a rolling boil on a high heat. Reduce to medium and cook uncovered until the lentils are tender, broken and completely mushy.

If you want you may skim the froth. It takes about 30 mins. If the pan dries out, add more hot water as you cook. Stir in the turmeric when the lentils are cooked. Head over to step 3 below.

More Dal Recipes
Instant Pot Dal & Rice
Keerai Kootu (Spinach Kootu)
Chana Dal
Tomato Pappu

Photo Guide

How to make Toor Dal (stepwise photos)

This recipe makes 3 servings.

Cook the dal & prepare

1. Add 1 cup toor dal to a strainer. Rinse well under running water, rubbing the dal with your fingers. Add it to a wide bowl.

2. Pour 2 cups water and add ¼ teaspoon turmeric. Place the dal bowl at the bottom of your pressure cooker or instant pot. Cover it. (If you are cooking rice, place your rice bowl over the dal bowl & cover). Pressure cook for 3 whistles on a medium flame or in the instant pot for 10 mins. Wait until the pressure releases.

3. While the toor dal cooks, prep-up the following ingredients for tempering.

• Chop 2 large tomatoes to make 1 cup. I peel and deseed for preference. (Canned peeled tomatoes are alright.)
• Slit or chop 1 to 2 green chilies (avoid if making for kids)
• Chop 3 large garlic cloves to make 1 tablespoon
• Optionally, peel & grate or mince ½ inch ginger, don’t chop large
• Rinse 1 sprig curry leaves & pat dry (omit if you don’t have)
• ½ teaspoon mustard seeds (optional)
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 dried red chilies (broken)
• ¼ teaspoon asafetida / hing (optional)
• ½ to ¾ teaspoon red chili powder (I use ½ Kashmiri/byadgi for low heat)
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (more to adjust)

Make the tempering

3. Pour 2 tablespoons ghee or oil to a small pan and heat it on a medium flame. When it is medium hot, add mustard, cumin seeds and dried red chili.

4. The seeds will begin to sizzle and pop, then add hing if using, curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilies. Fry for 1 to 2 mins, until aromatic. Do not burn.

5. Stir in the red chili powder & salt.

6. Add the tomatoes immediately else your spices will burn.

7. Cook until the tomatoes become completely soft. When you see fats separating from the tomatoes, pour ¼ cup water.

8. Cook until the water evaporates, for a few minutes. (If you want add ¼ tsp garam masala, 1 to 2 tsp tamarind paste or amchur/dried mango powder, 1 tsp crushed kasuri methi/ dried fenugreek leaves). Turn off.

Adjust the consistency

9. When the dal is cooked, it should be soft and mushy.

10. Mash slightly with the back of a ladle or a masher. Toor dal should look thick and creamy, without water separation. Add ¾ cup hot water to bring to a consistency. Add more or less to your preference.

11. Transfer the tempering to the dal.

12. Mix well. Taste test and adjust salt. Add 2 tablespoons coriander leaves if you want.

13. Sprinkle lemon juice if you want. This is the consistency I get with 3 cups water. It is good if you are serving immediately. It will thicken upon cooling.

Optionally if you want, scrape down the spicy bit in the tempering pan and heat another tablespoon ghee. Pour this over the dal to garnish. Serve toor dal hot with rice or roti. You can store the leftovers in the refrigerator for 2 days. Reheat until bubbling hot with a splash of water or in the instant pot for 0 to 2 mins (high pressure).

Serving Suggestions

Arhar dal can be eaten on its own but is best served with rice (white or brown), ragi mudde, millets or quinoa. You can also serve with flatbreads like roti, chapati, or bhakris like ragi roti. Traditionally pickle, papads & yogurt are served on the side. At home, we eat with rice, vegetable salad and plain yogurt.

Expert Tips

• Onions: I prefer to ditch onions & ginger in my everyday dal. But if you want you may add a small chopped onion before adding the ginger garlic. Saute until the onions turn transparent for 5 to 6 mins. Later add the ginger and garlic.
• If you are cooking rice at the same time in the pressure cooker, add rice to another wide bowl and rinse thrice. Consider half cup rice per person. Make sure that both your bowls are easily stackable and won’t get jammed in your cooker.
• Dal can over flow into the cooker if you cook on a high heat in the traditional whistling stovetop cookers. So always cook on a medium heat if you are following the pot in pot method.

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