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6 Min
10/02/2026
The theme of World Pulses Day 2026, observed on 10 February, is “Pulses of the World: From Modesty to Excellence.” And if there’s one dish that truly celebrates this theme, it’s the excellent, yet humble dal tadka. A simple lentil curry elevated by the tempering, it’s the perfect example of how a simple addition can transform an entire dish. And if your dal tadka recipe only describes one type of tadka, then bookmark this guide on simple and effective tempering techniques and start exploring. It’s time to spruce up the dal tadka!
What makes a restaurant-style dal stand apart from the home-cooked fares? How is it that one region can turn the same pulse into a flavourful curry, while others cook it to resemble a smoky delicacy? Well, it all comes down to the cooking technique and ingredients. And on this World Pulses Day, the focus is on the tempering technique. More specifically, tempering techniques for dal. After all, across the nation, you can find as many dal recipes as there are dialects. But what differs across regions is the type of spices used and the way they’re incorporated into the dish.
Tempering, known as tadka in the Hindi language, is the process of adding spices to a dish. A cooking technique native to select Asian countries, like India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, it involves cooking whole spices and flavouring agents like dried chillies, minced ginger root or even sugar in oil or ghee to release their essential oils and enhance their natural flavour. The tempered mix is poured into the dish to elevate its flavour profile. Tempering can either be done at the beginning of the cooking, before the hero ingredient – like vegetables or dal – is added. Or it is done right at the end, before serving. The latter is especially true for curries and stews.
While certain regions have special techniques and spice mixes that locals use, commonly used tempering ingredients include cumin seeds, black mustard seeds, fresh green chilis, dried red chilis, asafoetida, cloves, turmeric powder, curry leaves, chopped onion, garlic, or bay leaves. Now that you know what basic tempering looks like, here’s a look at the special tempering techniques.
An ancient technique used to introduce a smoky aroma to the dish, dhungar is popular across North India, particularly in Mughlai and Awadhi cuisines. It’s also used extensively in Rajasthan and Punjabi cuisine for enhancing dishes like dal, curries, and meats. The technique uses ghee and burning charcoal.
To add the dhungar technique to your dal recipe, begin by preparing the coal. Using tongs, heat a small piece of natural charcoal directly over a gas flame until it is red-hot and coated in ash. It can take about 2-3 minutes. Now, place a small steel katori on the cooked dal. Be careful – the katori should float, not submerge. Place the charcoal in the bowl, and immediately pour ½ teaspoon of ghee or oil directly onto it. Now, trap the smoke by covering the dal pot tightly with a lid. Let it sit for 3 to 10 minutes, depending on how strong a smoky flavour you prefer. However, don’t exceed 10 minutes or the dal may get bitter.
As the name suggests, double tadka involves two levels of tempering. It allows for an enhanced flavour. Essentially, the first tadka influences the base flavour of the dish while the second (and final) tadka impacts the final aroma and colour. It’s great for when you have guests over and want to transform your regular dal dish into a restaurant-style meal.
Initial Tadka: While cooking the lentils, fry onions, garlic, and spices in ghee, then mix this into the dal and simmer. This infuses flavour into the heart of the dish.
Final Tadka: Just before serving, prepare a fresh, smoking-hot tadka with cumin seeds, broken dried red chillies, and finely sliced garlic, and pour it over the top. This adds a fresh, aromatic aroma. For a dramatic sizzle and flair, pour the hot, bubbling oil tadka over the dal instantly, ideally just as you are taking it to the table, and garnish with coriander leaves.
This isn’t just a tempering technique but an important hack to prevent the spices from burning, which can turn the dish bitter.
Start with hot fat: Use ghee or a high-smoke-point oil (e.g., coconut or mustard oil).
Whole spices first: Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, bay leaves, or fenugreek seeds. Wait for them to pop or crackle.
Aromatics second: Add garlic, sliced ginger, slit green chillies, and curry leaves. Fry until the garlic is golden.
Powdered spices last: Add Kashmiri red chilli powder or asafoetida (hing) last, turning off the heat to prevent them from burning.
Using a mix of ghee and oil for dal tadka not only balances flavour and aroma, but also the cost. While pure ghee provides the best traditional taste, oil has a higher smoke point, allowing the tempering ingredients (cumin, garlic, red chillies) to fry properly without burning. Ghee, in turn, has a lower smoke point, meaning it can burn quickly if heated too long. Adding a neutral oil (like canola or vegetable oil) raises the smoke point, allowing garlic and spices to turn golden brown without becoming bitter. For a dhaba-style use equal proportions of ghee and oil (1 tbsp each). For a lighter, but still aromatic tempering, reduce the proportion of ghee. So use 1 tbsp of oil with 1 tsp of ghee.
Apart from the aforementioned tempering techniques, many dal recipes include flavour enhancers that can add a subtle complexity to the dish, making it stand apart from the usual preparations.
Kasuri Methi: Crush dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and add to the tadka or directly to the simmering dal for an earthy, restaurant-style flavour.
Panch Phoron: Use a Bengali "five-spice" blend (mustard, cumin, fenugreek, fennel, and nigella seeds) for a unique, complex aroma.
Garlic Slicing: Instead of ginger or ginger-garlic paste, finely slice garlic cloves and fry until light brown, which provides a better texture and intense flavour. However, be careful and don't burn the garlic. Remember, golden is good, but brown or black will turn the dish bitter.
Acidic Finish: Add fresh lemon juice or amchur (dried mango powder) at the very end to brighten the flavours. It also balances the rich fat from the ghee.
Many households use dal recipes that have no written documentation, but have been communicated orally across generations.
Whether you trap the smoke, bloom the spices, or use an acidic finish to cut through the fat, tempering is crucial to the dal. It’s one of the best ways to turn an everyday dish into a fine-dining, flavour-bursting experience. Whether you’re cooking for a crowd, exploring new techniques, or just impressing a loved one, these dal tadka recipes will do the trick!
