7 dhaba-style dal preparations to try at home

Dal or lentil is a powerhouse of nutrition and one of the most comforting staples enjoyed across India. Dal is a rich source of plant-based protein, fibre, iron, and essential minerals, which supports muscle health, improves digestion, stabilises energy levels, and keeps you fuller for longer. From moong, masoor, toor, to chana and urad, the range of Indian dals is wide and so are the preparations. And if you are a true dal fan, then the best way to enjoy the blend of dals and spices is to visit Indian dhabas. Dhaba-style dal dishes take this humble ingredient to another level, transforming it into a flavour-packed experience through slow cooking, generous ghee tadkas, aromatic spices, and smoky techniques. And if you are someone who loves to cook at home, then here is a quick guide to seven dhaba-style dal preparations to try at home. Take a look.

This is one of the most famous dal preparation and is made with a mix of toor and masoor dal cooked until creamy, then finished with a smoking-hot tadka of ghee, cumin, garlic, red chilli and hing. It is best paired with naan or tandoori roti.

This is a simple version of dal and less on spices. This version uses toor dal cooked soft and then sautéed with onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic and dhaba-style spices. The slow bhuna enhances its rich, robust flavour and can be enjoyed with roti or rice.

This is also one of the most famous dal dishes, where whole black urad and rajma are simmered for hours and then cooked in a tempering of butter, cream, and smoky spices. The use of cream, butter, and blend of spices makes it a deep, velvety, and comforting, that is best enjoyed with roti or naan.

As the name suggests, this dal preparation uses five dals. It is a Rajasthan-inspired medley of five dals (moong, toor, chana, urad, masoor), tempered with desi ghee, garlic, dried red chillies and coriander for a hearty, earthy dish that goes well with roti and rice both.

This dal preparation has the strong aroma of garlic and is mostly made with moong or toor dal. It is elevated with an extra-garlicky tadka with sliced garlic cloves along with red chilli and cumin poured over sizzling hot dal.

It is very chunky and nutty and is made with chana dal, which is soaked and then cooked with onions, tomatoes, green chillies and a generous dose of dhaba masala, giving it a thick, satisfying texture that pairs well with tawa roti.

This makes the simple moong dal high on spices and flavours. It is made with soaked moong dal, flavoured with a tempering of ghee, cumin, garlic, green chillies and crushed kasuri methi for that dhaba flair.

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