Shahi Dal

Shahi dal is a rich and creamy Indian lentil dish made using a combination of lentils tempered with a sizzling tempering. Serve it with naan or jeera rice for a special meal.

Here are some more dal recipes, that can be a part of your party meals – Dal Makhani, Sultani Dal, Dhaba Style Punjabi Dal Tadka, Raw Mango Dal, and Navratan Dal.

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• About This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to make Shahi Dal?
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage Suggestions
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About This Recipe

Dal is a staple part of everyday meals in almost every Indian household. But when you want to make it for special occasions, it must be different from the everyday preparations, right? Shahi = royal and dal = lentils, shahi dal is a rich and creamy lentil preparation that is apt to make for these occasions.

It is prepared with the combination of yellow moong dal and white urad dal and tempered with fresh ginger, garlic, tomatoes, and some basic everyday spice powders. It is tempered once again at the end, which makes it super flavorful and delicious.

This dal also has yogurt and milk added to it, which gives it a beautifully creamy and rich texture.

Ingredients

For the dal – To make shahi dal, you will need yellow moong dal, white urad dal, water, salt vegetable oil, ghee, asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, green chili peppers, fresh ginger, garlic, tomato, spice powders, plain yogurt, whole milk, water, and lime juice.

I have used both oil and ghee, but you can choose either of them. Ghee is preferred over oil to give it that shahi touch.

You can adjust the amount of green chili peppers as per your taste preferences. Kashmiri red chili powder gives it a nice red color without making it too spicy.

Yogurt and milk are added for the extra richness and to provide a creamy texture to the dal.

For the second tempering – For the second tempering, you will need ghee, cumin seeds, whole dry red chilies, onion, Kashmiri red chili powder, and cilantro (coriander).

How to make Shahi Dal?

Wash ½ cup yellow moong dal (skinned petite yellow lentils) and ½ cup urad dal (skinned split black lentils) 2-3 times with water until the water runs clear. Soak the dal in 3-4 cups of water for 15 minutes.

Drain the soaked dal and add them to a pressure cooker.

Add 3 cups of water and close the lid of the cooker. Pressure cook for one whistle on high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and whisk the dal well using a wire whisk. Set aside.

Note – To cook the dal in an instant pot, add them to the pot along with water. PRESSURE COOK on high pressure for 10 minutes followed by 10 minutes of natural pressure release. Release the remaining pressure manually and open the lid. Whisk the cooked dal using a wire whisk until smooth.

Heat 1 tablespoon ghee and 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Once it is hot, add ¼ teaspoon asafetida and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.

Add 2 teaspoon chopped green chili peppers, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger and 1 teaspoon chopped garlic and fry for 2 minutes.

Add ½ cup grated fresh tomato and fry for 3-4 minutes.

Now add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, and ½ cup whisked plain yogurt and fry for another minute.

Add the cooked dal and 1 cup milk and mix well. Adjust the consistency by adding more water and check for the salt.

Cook for 5-6 minutes on low heat. Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and mix well.

For tempering, heat 2 tablespoon ghee in a small skillet over high heat. Once the ghee is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 2 whole dry red chilies (stalks removed) and let them crackle for 3-4 seconds.

Add ½ cup chopped onion and fry until they turn golden brown (6-8 minutes).

Switch off the heat and add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder.

Pour the tempering over the dal immediately and mix well.

Garnish shahi dal with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Serving Suggestions

Shahi dal tastes great with almost all the Indian bread such as phulka, tawa paratha, lachha paratha, naan, garlic naan, missi roti, tandoori roti, or any other bread that you prefer.

You can also serve it with steamed rice, jeera rice, matar pulao, bagar rice, or any other lightly spiced pulao.

Storage Suggestions

Shahi dal will last in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days when stored in an air-tight container. Reheat it in a pan or microwave. If you feel it has become a little dry after refrigerating, then add a little water or milk to thin out the consistency.

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