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A tangy and flavorful lentil curry from Hyderabad, made with soft-cooked pigeon peas and plenty of ripe tomatoes. This comforting dal gets its unique taste from a fragrant tempering of curry leaves and garlic, perfect with steamed rice.
For 4 servings
Pressure Cook the Dal
Prepare the Tomato Base
Aromatic basmati rice and tender vegetables are layered and slow-cooked to perfection in this classic Hyderabadi dish. Infused with saffron, mint, and fried onions, it's a vegetarian feast for the senses.
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A tangy and flavorful lentil curry from Hyderabad, made with soft-cooked pigeon peas and plenty of ripe tomatoes. This comforting dal gets its unique taste from a fragrant tempering of curry leaves and garlic, perfect with steamed rice.
This hyderabadi recipe takes 45 minutes to prepare and yields 4 servings. At 300.25 calories per serving with 11.94g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for lunch or dinner.
Combine and Simmer
Prepare the Final Tempering (Tadka)
Garnish and Serve
Add 1/2 cup of diced carrots, bottle gourd (lauki), or drumsticks along with the dal in the pressure cooker for added nutrition and texture.
Increase the number of green chilies or add 1/4 teaspoon of garam masala along with the other spice powders for extra heat and warmth.
For a richer, creamier dal, stir in 2 tablespoons of fresh cream or full-fat coconut milk at the end of the simmering process.
For a Sattvic or Jain-friendly version, simply omit the onions, garlic, and ginger-garlic paste. Increase the amount of hing slightly to compensate.
Toor dal is an excellent source of vegetarian protein, which is essential for building and repairing tissues, muscle growth, and overall body function.
The combination of lentils and tomatoes provides a significant amount of dietary fiber, which aids in digestion, promotes gut health, and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Cooking tomatoes increases the bioavailability of lycopene.
Spices like turmeric (containing curcumin) and garlic have well-known anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can help strengthen the immune system.
One serving of Hyderabadi Tomato Dal contains approximately 290-320 calories, depending on the amount of oil and ghee used. It's a nutritious and balanced dish.
Yes, it is very healthy. It's an excellent source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber from the lentils. Tomatoes provide vitamins and antioxidants, and the spices used have various health benefits.
Absolutely. You can cook the soaked dal in a regular pot on the stovetop. It will take longer, around 45-60 minutes, for the dal to become completely soft. Add more water as needed during cooking.
This dal pairs perfectly with steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, or bagara khana. It also goes well with Indian flatbreads like roti, chapati, or naan.
You can store leftover dal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The flavor often deepens the next day. Reheat thoroughly before serving.
While toor dal (pigeon peas) is traditional for this recipe, you can also make it with masoor dal (red lentils), which cooks much faster, or a mix of toor and masoor dal.