Dal
Ingredients
- ¾ cup toor dal (split pigeon peas) or moong dal (split yellow lentils)
- 2.5 cups water
- ½ tsp turmeric
- Salt to taste
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 1 tsp ghee or oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dry red chillies
- 4–5 curry leaves
- 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- Fresh coriander to finish
- Lemon juice to finish
Steps
- 1
Soak the dal
Rinse the dal and soak in cold water for 30 minutes. This cuts cooking time significantly. Drain before cooking.
- 2
First microwave cook
Place soaked dal in a large microwave-safe bowl (use at least 2x the volume of the dal — it bubbles up). Add 2.5 cups water, turmeric, and salt. Cover loosely with a lid or plate, leaving a gap for steam to escape. Microwave on HIGH for 10 minutes.
- 3
Stir and rest
Carefully remove the bowl (it will be very hot). Stir well. The dal will be partially cooked. Cover and let rest for 5 minutes — residual heat continues cooking.
- 4
Second cook
Add chopped tomato. Microwave on HIGH for another 8–10 minutes until the lentils are completely soft and starting to break down. Stir halfway through.
- 5
Mash to consistency
Stir vigorously or use a back of a spoon to partially mash the dal to your preferred consistency — smooth or slightly chunky.
- 6
Make the tadka
In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine ghee, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, curry leaves, and sliced garlic. Microwave on HIGH for 90 seconds until the garlic is golden and spices are fragrant. Watch carefully — it can burn quickly.
- 7
Finish and serve
Pour the hot tadka over the dal. Add red chilli powder. Stir once. Finish with lemon juice and coriander. Serve with rice or roti.
Tips for Best Results
💡 Use a large bowl
Dal bubbles vigorously in the microwave. Use a bowl at least twice the volume of your dal-water mixture to prevent overflow.
💡 Moong dal is faster
If you are short on time, use moong dal (split yellow lentils) — it cooks in 12–15 minutes total vs. 20 for toor dal.
💡 The resting step matters
After the first cook, letting the dal rest covered for 5 minutes allows residual heat to continue cooking without the microwave running. Do not skip it.
💡 Tadka in microwave works perfectly
The microwave tadka smells and tastes exactly like a stovetop tadka. Watch it after 60 seconds — garlic goes from golden to burnt very quickly.
About this recipe ↓About this recipe ↑
The Most Everyday Dish, Without Gas
Dal is the backbone of the Indian kitchen — made in almost every household, every single day. It also happens to be one of the dishes people are most convinced needs a gas stove or pressure cooker. Neither is true.
A microwave can cook lentils to a perfectly soft, smooth consistency. The key is using the right lentil (split lentils cook faster than whole), soaking in advance, and cooking in stages with resting time in between. The result is a dal that tastes indistinguishable from the stovetop version.
More details ↓More details ↑
Your Microwave Is a Real Kitchen Tool
Dal is just the beginning of what a microwave can cook. Explore more microwave recipes and no-gas cooking guides in our collection.
