Today I am going to share a simple yet wholesome recipe of Dal Tadka. This recipe has been passed down through generations and will always be my go-to comfort food. The ingredients you need for this Indian recipe have been listed below. You will easily find them in any supermarket. You can even add variations to this recipe, as per your taste and preference. It is best served with rice and papad. Papad is another Indian snack that can either be roasted or deep fried. So let's get started. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!

Ingredients

• 1 cup of lentils
• 1 ripe tomato
• 1 cup of onion 
• 4 to 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of oil
• 1 piece of ginger 
• 1 to 2 hot green chilies
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seed powder
• 1 teaspoon of turmeric
• 1 teaspoon of garam masala
• 1 teaspoon of coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne 
• 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
• A pinch of salt
• 3 cups of water

Method

Step 1: First, you will have to wash and soak the lentils for at least an hour. In the meantime, you can start with the other preparations.

Step 2: In a saucepan, add some oil over low heat and add the mustard seeds and cumin seed powder. Let it cook for about a minute and then add the onions, ginger ,and garlic.

Step 3: Now add the salt and let it all cook for about three minutes.

Step 4: Next, you can add the other spices along with the tomato and some water.

Step 5: Use a lid to cover the pan for 5 minutes so that the steam cooks the ingredients.

Step 6: Drain the water from the soaked lentils and add just the lentils to the pan.

Step 7: Add some more salt and cover the saucepan for at least 25 minutes. (Make sure the lentils have been cooked properly before turning off the heat.)

Enjoy!

Photograph Courtesy: Flickr