Lentil Curry With Tamarind (Khatti Dal) is a delicious concoction made with light orange masoor lentils. As it's flavored with tamarind pulp, it has a distinctly sour taste. Served with basmati rice and kachumber salad, it's a popular South Asian meal!
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Lentils are the quintessential comfort food for most South Asians. All families have their unique way of cooking "khatti dal" with tamarind. This recipe is often referred to as Hyderabadi Khatti Dal, which is a reference to the region in India that it comes from.
I've always been a fan of Hyderabadi cuisine. My Hyderabadi bagara baingan (eggplant curry) and Hyderabadi chicken curry recipes are a case in point. There is a predominant use of tamarind, curry leaves, and cumin seeds in Hyderabadi recipes like this one.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Complex flavor - This recipe has a delicious and complex flavor due to the many ingredients it contains. This khatti dal recipe is one to turn to when you want to level up your lentil curry recipe.
- Assorted cooking methods - The lentil curry can be prepared using one of two methods; stovetop or Instantpot. Use the method you find more convenient.
- Quick recipe - Whichever method you go with, the cooking time for this khatti dal is very short. This is due to the masoor lentils, which are one of the easiest to cook down.
- Plant-based protein - An excellent form of protein, this khatti dal recipe is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free if you use the right cooking oil.
Ingredient notes
- Lentils - Use split masoor dal, otherwise known as red lentils, for this khatti dal recipe. These cook very quickly and have a delicious earthy taste and creamy texture.
- Tomatoes - Tomatoes add a tangy taste and some texture to the khatti daal. If you've tried my South Indian Tomato Rasam Recipe you will understand how well tomatoes, lentils, and tamarind pair.
- Tamarind - Tamarind comes in many forms, with the two most common ones being a wet seedless block or a tamarind paste. I prefer to use the block to make my tamarind water for this recipe as it has a stronger taste, but a paste is more convenient and can work too.
- Curry Leaves - These are aromatic leaves similar in aroma to kaffir lime leaves. Sold at South Asian stores or online, curry leaves are used in most Hyderabadi recipes.
- Black Mustard Seeds - These are more pungent than yellow mustard seeds and when tempered in some cooking oil, taste delicious on lentils and vegetables. Easy to source online or in specialty stores, once you try them you'll want to use them all the time.
- Cumin Seeds - Cumin seeds are always delicious when tempered and used in lentils. I also dry roast and grind mine to make my cumin powder.
- Whole Red Chilies - Whole red chilies, when tempered give a nice smoky aroma to this curry.
- Garlic Cloves - Finally, no curry is complete without garlic. I slice a handful of garlic cloves and temper them in cooking oil till they're crisp and add the crispy garlic, along with the seasoned oil to my khatti dal.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements plus recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Use a different type of lentil - This lentil curry has a soupy consistency. For a more dense curry, try using split pigeon peas.
- Use Ghee instead of oil - If you're not limited by dietary restrictions, use ghee instead of cooking oil for a more rich and nutty taste for your dal.
- Use lemon instead of tamarind - Although tamarind is best, if you're in a hurry and want to make this recipe, simply use the juice of 1 or 2 lemons (depending on how sour you want your curry).
Step-by-step instructions
First step - Add the washed lentils, ginger and garlic paste, tomatoes, serrano chilies, salt, red chili powder, and turmeric along with the 4 cups of water to a cooking pot and turn it on high.
Second step - Bring the mixture to a boil and then cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
Third step - Uncover, and add in the tamarind water, or paste to finish your khatti dal.
Fourth step - Mix well and cook your lentil curry, uncovered, on high, for 10 minutes.
Fifth step - Start preparing your tempering by heating the cooking oil and adding the sliced garlic to it.
Sixth step - Once the garlic starts to crisp up, add in the cumin seeds and start roasting them.
Seventh step - Finally, add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves, and whole red chilies.
Eighth step - Once everything is roasted add the whole mixture (oil included) on top of the prepared lentil curry.
Ninth step - Garnish your khatti dal with cilantro and serve with your favorite accompaniments.
Expert Tips
- Add in the tamarind last - In my experience, adding anything acidic at the end of preparing a curry preserves its sour flavor better. If cooked for a while, citrus or tamarind can lose some of its pungent flavor. In the case of tamarind, some natural sugars can also burn if overcooked.
- Soak the lentils - Soaking the lentils isn't essential, but helps reduce gas and bloating that's associated with them. It also helps to reduce the cooking time.
- Use an immersion blender if needed - Red lentils cook down very easily so I've seldom needed to blend them. If you feel the need or are using a different lentil in this recipe, use an immersion blender to speed up the process and get a perfect consistency.
- Cover and let the curry sit after the tempering - After you pour the tempering over the lentil curry, cover your pot and let it sit for 5-10 minutes so all the flavors and aromas can fuse.
Recipe FAQS
Most lentils have an earthy slightly nutty taste and a creamy texture if cooked properly. Earthy means that the lentils have a rough, coarse, or plain taste on their own. When enhanced with fresh ingredients, spices, and tempering, the result is a delicious lentil curry.
Leftover lentil curry can be used to make a stuffed paratha, a fritter with added ingredients to bulk up the lentils, pancakes when mixed with some chickpea or rice flour, and oh so many other recipes.
Some great menu ideas for a lentil curry are Seekh kebab, bhindi masala, and lentils; or some easy chicken tikka boti and some Pakistani Zucchini curry.
keep your cooked lentil curry in the fridge for 3-5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure to use an airtight container for best results.
Other recipes you may like
For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture then tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Lentil Curry With Tamarind (Khatti Dal)
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Ingredients
- 1.5 cups masoor daal (red lentils)
- 4 cups water
- 1.5 teaspoon ginger/garlic paste
- 3 serrano chillies
- 2 tomatoes
- 3 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 cups tamarind water (see notes)
- ¼ cup cooking oil (see notes)
- 5 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 15 curry leaves
- 2 dry red chillies
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Combine the lentils, water, ginger/garlic paste, serrano chillies, tomatoes, salt, red chili powder and turmeric.
- For INSTANT POT, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes and do a 5-minute release before venting and opening the lid.
- For STOVE TOP, cook on high till the mixture begins to boil, and then cook on medium heat for 20 minutes till everything is tender and well blended. You should have a thin, soupy consistency by the end.
- Add the tamarind water (or paste) at this point and mix well. (see notes)
- In a small frying pan, heat ¼ cup oil and saute the garlic cloves, cumin seeds, mustard seed, dry red chilies, and curry leaves (in that order) till everything is well roasted and aromatic.
- Pour this tempering (oil included) over the lentil curry.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve.
Zoya Noon
It was simple and delicious! Yum!!
Nosheen Babar
Thank You Zoya! Glad you liked it!
Saima Kamal
I love this recipe! Easy to make and utterly delicious. The addition of tamarind was pure genius. It has officially become my go to daal recipe 👌👌
untoldrecipesbynosheen
Thank You Saima. I love tamarind too and everything tastes so much better with it !