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Indian

Dal Ka Pani (Toddler & Comfort Soup)

Dal ka pani is the thin water strained off cooked mung dal, seasoned lightly and given to toddlers and the unwell.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

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Dal Ka Pani (Toddler & Comfort Soup)

20 mintotal

Prep 5 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop, Pressure Cooker.

Twenty-five minutes, most of it the dal cooking. Make it fresh rather than in advance when it is going to a small child.

Method

  1. In a small pressure cooker, add the washed yellow moong dal, the measured water, and a pinch of turmeric powder.

  2. Pressure cook on medium heat for 3-4 whistles until the dal is completely soft and mushy.

  3. Let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid and whisk the dal vigorously.

  4. Pass the whisked dal through a sieve to extract only the clear, nutrient-rich liquid (Dal ka Pani). Discard the thick residue or save it for kneading roti dough.

  5. Heat the ghee in a tiny tadka pan. Add the cumin seeds and let them crackle.

  6. Add the asafoetida (hing) and immediately pour this very mild tadka into the strained dal water.

  7. Add a pinch of salt. Serve warm.

How to tell it's done

A highly digestible, soothing, watery broth with a mild earthy and ghee flavor.

Getting it right

Tip

For babies under 1 year, completely omit the salt and stick only to turmeric and a tiny pinch of cumin powder.

What to serve it with

Traditionally given to small children, and to anyone eating lightly for a few days. Serve warm.

Common mistakes

The liquid is cloudy and thick rather than clear.
Cook the dal until it has fallen apart completely, then press it through the sieve rather than stirring it through. Undercooked dal gives a starchy, gritty water; the point here is the thin liquid off the top.
The tempering is too strong.
A quarter-teaspoon of cumin and a pinch of asafoetida is the whole of it. This is deliberately mild food, and a tempering built for a dal at the table overwhelms it.

Substitutions

  • Split red lentils cook faster and strain just as well if mung dal is not to hand. Ghee can be replaced with any neutral oil, or the tempering left out entirely for a very young baby. Salt is often omitted for infants under a year — ask whoever looks after the child what suits them.

Storing and reheating

Best served fresh and warm. It keeps a day in the fridge in a covered container; reheat once and discard what is left rather than warming it repeatedly. Do not leave it standing at room temperature.