Name: Egg Dal Tadka
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 70 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ¼ cup Split Pigeon Peas, pigeon peas; ¼ cup Split Yellow Mung Beans, split yellow gram; 1½ Egg, whisked in a bowl; ½ Onion, finely chopped; ½ Tomato, finely chopped; ½ tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste; 1 Green Chili Pepper, finely chopped; ½ tsp Cumin Seeds; ¼ tsp Ground Turmeric; ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder; ¼ tsp Garam Masala; ½ tbsp Cooking Oil, for egg bhurji; 1 tbsp Ghee, for dal tadka; ¾ tsp Salt, to taste; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped

1 hr 10 mintotal

40 min hands-on30 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Medium

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Method

Pressure cook the soaked lentils with water, turmeric, and half the salt for 3-4 whistles until completely broken down. Whisk the mixture until smooth.
In a separate pan, bring the cooking oil to temperature. Pour in the whisked eggs, season lightly with salt, and scramble rapidly to form small, dry curds (Bhurji). Transfer the scrambled egg to a plate and reserve.
In the same pan, heat the ghee. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
Introduce the finely chopped onions, sautéing diligently until they display a rich golden-brown caramelization.
Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies. Sauté for 1 minute to neutralize the raw aromatics.
1 min
Incorporate the tomatoes, red chilli powder, and the remaining salt. Cook down until the tomatoes disintegrate and the oil clearly separates from the masala base.
Pour the smooth lentil puree into the spiced base and mix well. Adjust the consistency with hot water if needed, then simmer for 3 minutes.
3 min
Fold the reserved scrambled eggs and garam masala into the simmering dal. Cook for an additional 1 minute, allowing the egg curds to absorb the spiced broth.
1 min
Remove from heat, garnish generously with fresh coriander, and serve.

How to tell it's done

Yields a luxurious, heavily spiced lentil gravy peppered with soft, savory bites of scrambled egg.

Getting it right

Tip

Cook the egg bhurji until moist but not watery before folding it into the lentil base. A wet scramble makes the dal look loose and curdled.

What to serve it with

Transforms into an outstanding, protein-dense dinner when accompanied by fragrant Jeera Rice or crispy Tawa Parathas.

Common mistakes

The egg turns watery and muddies the dal.: Cook the egg bhurji until moist but not wet before folding it into the lentils. Loose egg liquid makes the final dal look curdled.

Storing and reheating

Refrigerate egg dal tadka in a shallow covered container for up to 2 days. Reheat gently until hot throughout; freezing is not recommended because the egg texture becomes watery.

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Ingredients