Gujarati dal is my absolute favourite dal that I can have any day, anytime and my mom makes makes the best version of this that I am so excited to share with you all – the best part is 30 minutes is all it needs for this comfort rich dar bhat (Dal rice)!
💌Why Gujarati Dal is my absolute favourite:
This is one of my FAVOURITE recipes to share – Dal for me is an emotion, a comforting satisfying soul food that takes me back to my childhood sitting in my grandparents house having dar bhat/dal chawal (dal-rice).
Honestly I love all kinds of dals so much especially this Gujarati dal that I grew up having made by my mom and It was and still is one of the most missed dish of hers since I moved to Canada, I remember making it again and again and always felt something lacking because it just wouldn’t taste like hers, I’m sure we all experienced this!
At last after multiple tries I believe I finally have it closest to my mom’s dal and I’ve had my partner say is just like my mom’s which to me is the biggest compliment I can get haha and I also know a couple of my previous roommates also really loved this dal so I want to share it with you all and I will also share her secret dal masala to help you make it amazingly finger licking in the first try!
I also really love how super quick and easy Gujarati dal is – it needs minimal cooking and in half an hour you would be enjoying it away. It’s truly a comforting dish when you add hot piping dal to rice and top it with some ghee or sometimes a dollop of cold yogurt which might sound weird but tastes so goood together! Try it out :p
I will have a million more things to say about this recipe but all in all I really hope you give it a try because I’m sure you will LOVE it and please let me know how it turns out to be, I’d really love to hear from you!
~with love, Jahnvi
What does Gujarati Dal TASTE like?
Gujarati dal is made using Pidgeon Peas aka yellow lentils (Tuvar or Arhar dal) and is a staple dal in Gujarat. It is a very special dal because it combines all flavour profiles, its sweet, spicy, tangy and slight bitter – bursting with so many flavours in every slurp of this dal. It is also a vegan recipe with no onion garlic which is common in most Guajarati dishes.
🛒 Ingredients to make Gujarati Dal:
ESSENTIALS for Gujarati Dal:
Toor Dal/ Arhar Dal: This is a very common lentil in Indian cooking that you can find in any Indian grocery store.
Tomatoes: This add the flavouring to the dal for that sweet, tarty and tangy flavour.
Peanuts: This is a must to add in gujarati dal for that added nuttiness texture.
Spices: The spiciness comes from the red chili powder, tanginess from tamarind and the tomatoes, and the sweetness is from the jaggery. The Mustard and fenugreek seeds give that slight bitter and pungent taste which is essential to balance it all. Ginger adds that warmth and comforting blend.
Mom’s secret spice blend (Dal Masala): My mom’s Gujarati dal Masala is a big hit to this recipe in fact whoever she’s shared this with would keep asking for the recipe every time they’d go out of stock so you definitely need to add this for that authentic Guajarati dal experience. Click here to view it.
TIP: If you don’t have the time to make the Dal Masala then simply use whole spices that I have listed in that post or alternatively you can use garam masala instead however the taste will vary so I highly recommend using the spice blend.
STEP-BY-STEP: A Quick Recipe Snapshot
- Boil toor dal with turmeric powder, salt and water in a pressure cooker and once boiled use a hand blender to make it like a pure and set aside.
- In a pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds, allow it to splutter
- Add fenugreek seeds and let it brown, be careful to have low heat otherwise this can burn fast.
- Add dried red chillies then add asafoetida (hing) and stir.
- Add chopped tomatoes, and salt.
- Add peanuts and grate ginger to the same, stir and cook until tomatoes are soft
- Add red chili powder and mom’s dal masala (see note 2 for substitute) and cook for a couple minutes to infuse the spices in the tomatoes.
- Transfer the mixture to the boiled dal in the cooker.
- Add water to your preferred consistency – usually Gujarati dal is thinner but as you continue to boil it will thicken up so don’t fret if you feel you added more water. I personally like it in the middle.
- While it boils, add jaggery and tamarind water (strain to separate pulp).
- Allow it to boil and do a taste check and adjust accordingly.
- Garnish with handful fresh coriander leaves and enjoy with rice or fresh roti!
😍 More Gujarati Recipes?
We love Gujarati food so check out our favourites here:
- Gujarati Kadhi – This 20 minute recipe is a keeper when you want a light but satisfying meal.
- Bhinda nu Shaak (Stir-fry Okra) – Perfect for quick weeknight dinners!
- Gujarati Methi Thepla – These golden colourful flatbreads will impress anyone!
- Khatta Moong ni Kadhi – Just like Kadhi but with moong lentils making it more filling!
👋 Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed my ultimate favourite Dal and feel inspired to make it in your kitchen!
Made this recipe? Please consider leaving a review or comment below. This helps more readers find my content. You can also send me a DM on my Instagram letting me know your thoughts, I’d love to hear from you 🩷
How to Make Traditional Gujarati Dal: Mom’s Special Recipe
Ingredients
For cooking lentils
- ¾ cup Tuvar Dal (Arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils)
- 1.5 to 2 cups water (see note 1)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Tempering and Flavouring
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (meethi dana)
- 2 whole dry red chili
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 3 small tomatoes
- 1 handful peanuts or as desired
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (if you want spicy then use 1tsp)
- 1 teaspoon mom's dal masala (see note 2 for substitutes)
- 1.5 teaspoon salt or as needed
- ½ to 1 cup water, to cook all spices together
- 1 tablespoon jaggery (you can add more if you like it more sweeter)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind water, soaked in water and strained to remove pulp (see note 3 for substitutes)
- 1 handful fresh coriander to garnish
Instructions
Cook the Lentils
- Rinse tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) couple items until the water runs clear.¾ cup Tuvar Dal (Arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils)
- In a pressure cooker, add the rinsed dal, water, salt, and turmeric powder.1.5 to 2 cups water (see note 1), 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Close the lid and cook on medium-high heat for about 3 to 4 whistles, or until the dal is soft and fully cooked.
- Once done, let the pressure release naturally, then open the lid and whisk the dal or use a hand blender until smooth. Set aside.
Tempering and Next Steps
- In a large pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil on medium heat.
- Add mustard seeds. When they start spluttering, add fenugreek seeds and once they slightly brown up add dry red chilies, and a pinch of asafoetida (hing).¼ teaspoon mustard seeds (rai), ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds (meethi dana), 2 whole dry red chili, ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- Sauté for a few seconds until the spices are fragrant but be careful not to burn the fenugreek seeds.
- Add chopped tomatoes to the tempering and cook until soft and mushy. Add salt.3 small tomatoes, 1.5 teaspoon salt or as needed
- Add peanuts and grate fresh ginger.1 handful peanuts or as desired, 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- Stir in red chili powder and dal masala. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring well to combine the spices.½ teaspoon red chili powder (if you want spicy then use 1tsp), 1 teaspoon mom's dal masala (see note 2 for substitutes)
- Transfer the spice blend mixture to the boiled dal in the cooker
- Add ½ to 1 cup water to adjust the consistency (Gujarati dal is usually medium – thin consistency and soupy). Stir to combine.½ to 1 cup water, to cook all spices together
- Add 1 tablespoon jaggery and 1 tablespoon tamarind water.1 tablespoon jaggery (you can add more if you like it more sweeter), 1 tablespoon tamarind water, soaked in water and strained to remove pulp (see note 3 for substitutes)
- Stir and simmer for about 10-15 minutes on low heat, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Garnish and Serve
- Once the dal reaches your desired flavor and consistency, garnish with a generous handful of fresh coriander leaves.1 handful fresh coriander to garnish
- Serve hot with rice or rotis topped with ghee if you are not vegan. Alternatively you can also add yogurt to it which makes it creamy and tangy – I really love this combination as well.
- You can also have pickles or papdi (rice crackers) on the side.
Notes
- Adjusting Water for Lentils: Depending on the age of the tuvar dal, it may soak up more or less water. Older dal tends to require more water for cooking. Feel free to adjust water quantity as needed. Ideally you want to use a 1:2 ratio for cooking dal but you can adjust more and that is okay for Gujarati dal as we anyway need it to be blended and smooth with a medium – thin consistency so more water will not hurt this recipe.
- Dal Masala Substitute: If you don’t have time to make dal masala, you can substitute it with 1 tsp of garam masala. Please note this will vary the results of the dal so if you can then I’d highly recommend using the spice blend or at least its whole spices listed as much as you have them.
- Tamarind Substitute: If you don’t have tamarinds, you can substitute it with lemon juice or 1.5 tablespoon soaked dried kokum water to achieve a similar tangy flavor.
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