Matar dal recipe is a combination of dried yellow split peas and a variety of whole spices, which prepares a highly delicious dal packed with full of flavors.
It takes the dish to the next level when the tempered spices are mixed with the boiled pea or matar dal.
Within just a few minutes, a lovely side dish is prepared. This dish is loved all over India and cooked in different ways. Follow my simple instructions to cook this dish.
Key Takeaways:
- Matar Dal is a traditional Indian dish made with yellow split peas (matar dal) and a blend of aromatic spices.
- Soaking the lentils for a short period before cooking can help in reducing the cooking time and ensuring even cooking.
- Tempering with whole spices like cumin seeds, mustard seeds, or dried red chilies can enhance the flavor of the dal.
- Matar Dal pairs well with steamed rice, Indian breads like naan or roti.
- Matar Dal can be customized with additional ingredients or variations of spices to suit individual preferences and create a unique flavor profile.
- A few alternatives to this dish include dal tadka, chana dal, lentil soup, lentil curry, and lentil salad.
The Ingredients:
- Matar Dal -250 gm (properly washed, soaked in water)
- 1 large size tomato (chopped)
- 1 large size onion (chopped)
- ½ inch ginger (chopped)
- 8-9 garlic cloves (chopped)
- 4 green chilies
- Coriander leaves
- Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
- Cumin seeds: ½ tsp
- 3 dry red chillies
- 3 bay leaves
- Mustard oil 2.5 tablespoon
- Salt to taste
How to Cook Matar Dal (Step by Step Image)?
1. Put a pressure cooker on a gas stove. Add the soaked matar dal in a pressure cooker and add water into it. Pressure-cook matar dal till 3 whistles.
2. Remove the lid, add some hot water into the half boiled dried dal in pressure cooker.
3. Put the lid on. Make sure you don’t seal it.
4. After dal comes to a boil, ladle out the white foam.
5. Add a little less than ½ tsp of turmeric powder.
6. Bring it to a boil once again.
7. Take out the pressure cooker from the gas stove.
8. Put a kadai on the gas stove.
9. Add dry red chillies, cumin seeds and bay leaves to hot mustard oil.
10. Add chopped onion; give it a good stir.
11. Add chopped garlic and grated ginger. Sauté them.
12. Add green chillies and sliced tomatoes.
13. Sprinkle salt to taste. Mix well. Continue stirring.
14. Add the liquid layer of boiled dal to the tadka. It will soften tomatoes more quickly.
15. Add a little bit of turmeric powder. Mix well.
16. Once the tadka is ready, pour the boiled matar dal into the pan.
17. Add a little more salt, Mix well. Let it come to a boil.
18. Finish it with coriander leaves. Alternatively, you can use curry leaves. Serve it with steamed rice, naan, paratha, poori, roti or chapati.
Recipe Card
Matar Dal Recipe (Yellow Split Pea Dal)
Ingredients
- 250 grams Matar Dal (properly washed and soaked in water)
- 1 piece Tomato (chopped)
- 1 piece Onion (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Ginger (chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Garlic (chopped)
- 4 pieces Green chilies
- 1 tablespoon Coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon Turmeric powder
- ½ tablespoon Cumin seeds
- 3 pieces Dried red chilies
- 3 pieces Bay leaves
- 2.5 tablespoon Mustard oil
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Put a pressure cooker on a gas stove. Add the soaked matar dal in a pressure cooker and add water into it. Pressure-cook matar dal till 3 whistles.
- Remove the lid, add some hot water into the half boiled dried dal in pressure cooker.
- Put the lid on. Make sure you don’t seal it.
- After dal comes to a boil, ladle out the white foam.
- Add a little less than ½ tsp of turmeric powder.
- Bring it to a boil once again.
- Take out the pressure cooker from the gas stove.
- Put a kadai on the gas stove.
- Add dry red chillies, cumin seeds and bay leaves to hot mustard oil.
- Add chopped onion; give it a good stir.
- Add chopped garlic and grated ginger. Sauté them.
- Add green chillies and sliced tomatoes.
- Sprinkle salt to taste. Mix well. Continue stirring.
- Add the liquid layer of boiled dal to the tadka. It will soften tomatoes more quickly.
- Add a little bit of turmeric powder. Mix well.
- Once the tadka is ready, pour the boiled matar dal into the pan.
- Add a little more salt, Mix well. Let it come to a boil.
- Finish it with coriander leaves. Alternatively, you can use curry leaves. Serve it with steamed rice, naan, paratha, poori, roti or chapati.
