Photograph of this dish. rovingI · CC BY 2.0.
Indian · India
Red Lentil Tadka
Also called Masoor Dal
A soft red-lentil stew with a cumin-garlic finish.
Pai editors’ mark 5 / 5
Plan, list, and collections
Red lentils collapse into a spoonable dal. The tadka — spices in hot fat poured over the top — is what makes it smell like dinner.
Health
How this plate sits
Counted from the ingredient table. The score, richness, and badges describe one serving as written. The ring and the nutrient table follow the serving count above. This is general information, not medical advice.
85
Health score
Light & nourishing
Healthy
Richness
Light
Light to very rich, from fat, saturated fat, sugar, and the cream or butter in the plate.
- Protein 22%
- Carbs 61%
- Fat 16%
Suits · Diabetes-friendly
Sugar, fiber, and the starch mix sit in a gentler range. Your own portion still decides the day.
Suits · Heart-friendly
Saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium stay modest, with some fiber.
Watch · Weight loss
Calories, protein, or richness make this a fuller plate than a light day wants.
Watch · High protein
Protein is about 13.8 g, under the 25 g mark.
Suits · Low sodium
About 308 mg of sodium, under the 450 mg mark.
Suits · Gluten-free
No wheat, barley, or rye in the required list. Still read labels on sauces and oats.
Watch · Dairy-free
A milk ingredient is in the required list.
Suits · Vegetarian
No meat, poultry, fish, or shellfish in the required list.
Suits · Pregnancy
No alcohol, liver, or caffeine in the required list. Cook meat, eggs, and seafood through.
Suits · Gentle when sick
Mild, not fried, and not a very rich plate. Comfort, not a treatment.
Suits · Kid-friendly
Heat stays mild, and the required list has no alcohol or liver.
Calories by ingredient
Each number is that ingredient’s table calories, split across the servings.
- Dry red lentils197 kcal
- Ghee26 kcal
- Tomato5 kcal
- Garlic3 kcal
- Ground turmeric2 kcal
- Cumin seed2 kcal
Glycemic load
Estimated glycemic load for this count: 13.9. The bands come from the ingredient table.
Portion
One serving is about 237 kcal. Two portions would be about 474 kcal if you want a fuller plate.
Allergens. Milk
Make it healthier
Serve three-quarters of the plate
The ingredient mix stays the same. Calories are three-quarters of the counted serving.
About 178 kcal after the change.
Use olive oil for the tadka.
Dairy-free, still fragrant. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
Skip cayenne.
A mild dal for a tender appetite. This is the kitchen note. A new calorie figure is shown only when the grams can be replayed on the ingredient table.
Low confidence: no new calorie figure. The grams cannot be replayed on the table.
| Nutrient | Amount | % daily value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 237 kcal | 12% |
| Protein | 13.8 g | 28% |
| Carbohydrate | 37.6 g | 14% |
| Fiber | 6.7 g | 24% |
| Total sugars | 2.1 g | 4% |
| Fat | 4.5 g | 6% |
| Saturated fat | 2.1 g | 11% |
| Cholesterol | 8 mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 308 mg | 13% |
| Potassium | 488 mg | 10% |
| Calcium | 48 mg | 4% |
| Iron | 4.9 mg | 27% |
| Magnesium | 43 mg | 10% |
| Zinc | 2.1 mg | 19% |
| Vitamin A | 53 mcg | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 8 mg | 9% |
| Vitamin D | 0 mcg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.4 mg | 3% |
| Vitamin K | 11 mcg | 9% |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.3 mg | 25% |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.1 mg | 6% |
| Niacin (B3) | 1.1 mg | 7% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.3 mg | 16% |
| Folate | 119 mcg | 30% |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 mcg | 0% |
These figures follow the USDA-linked ingredient table where a safe FoodData Central row exists. Optional ingredients are left out. A few pantry items still use Pai's curated numbers because no close USDA row was found. 50 g is the daily value for added sugar. This figure is total sugar, including fruit and milk.
- A serving stays under about 420 calories, so it can sit inside an ordinary day.
- Sodium stays in a comfortable range.
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.
Equipment
- Heavy pot
- Scale
- Wooden spoon
- Ladle
Ingredients
Each line is stored in grams. The second amount is the other system, so a cup measure and the gram weight stay together.
Dry red lentils, rinsed1.25 cups220 g
Water4 cups900 ml
Ground turmeric0.5 tsp2 g
Tomato, chopped1 tomato120 g
Kosher salt0.75 tsp3 g
Ghee1 tbsp12 g
Cumin seed0.75 tsp2 g
Garlic, sliced2 cloves8 g
Cayenne0.25 tsp1 g
Lemon juice1 tbsp15 ml
Cilantro0.33 cup10 g
The first amount follows the unit toggle. The second is the other system. Both follow the serving count.
If you need to swap
- Use olive oil for the tadka.. Dairy-free, still fragrant.
- Skip cayenne.. A mild dal for a tender appetite.
Method
AI-generated photo.
1Simmer lentils, water, turmeric, and tomato until the lentils fall apart.
Simmer 20 min
AI-generated photo.
2Salt the dal. It should be pourable, not stiff.
AI-generated photo.
3Heat ghee. Add cumin seed until it crackles, then garlic and cayenne.
Tadka 1 min
AI-generated photo.
4Pour the tadka over the dal.
AI-generated photo.
5Finish with lemon and cilantro.
How you know it is done
Red Lentil Tadka is done when the thickest piece is tender and the liquid is quiet, not at a hard boil.
If it goes wrong
- Red Lentil Tadka looks done on top and is still raw in the center. Trust the cue in the method, not the color alone. Give it a few more minutes and check the center.
- Red Lentil Tadka spread, sank, or turned out dry. Measure by weight next time, heat the oven fully, and stop when the doneness cue appears rather than when the timer ends.
Storage
Cool Red Lentil Tadka, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Freeze portions for a month if the dish reheats in a pot or oven, not a raw salad.
How this dish helps your daily life
- Lentils are one of the cheapest high-fiber proteins in the kitchen.
- A pot of dal plus rice or toast is a complete, gentle dinner.
Notes
Pregnancy. Fully cooked. No alcohol. Use oil instead of ghee if you are skipping dairy. A soft, useful bowl.
Low appetite. Skip the cayenne and this is one of the gentlest meals in Pai: warm, soft, and salted.
From the kitchen. Stir near the end. Lentils settle and catch.
Allergens in the required list: Milk.
Your stars and note
Pai shares general nutrition information for everyday cooking. It is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan. Health labels are estimates from reference ingredient data and do not account for your lab results, medications, or how a food is absorbed. If you are pregnant, managing diabetes, cholesterol, an allergy, or any illness, use this as a menu of ideas and follow the clinician who knows you. In an emergency, call local emergency services.