If you asked a room full of Indian home cooks to name one dish they eat more than any other, a great many would say dall. Lentils, simmered until soft and finished with spices, sit at the centre of everyday meals across much of India. In a restaurant they are easy to overlook next to the tandoori grills and the richer curries, which is a shame, because a good dall is often the dish people remember.
At our restaurants in Charing Cross and Soho, lentils and pulses turn up in several places on the menu. This guide covers what each one is like and how to fit it into your order.
Tarka Dall: the everyday favourite
Tarka Dall is lentils cooked with butter, herbs, fried garlic and aromatic spices. The word tarka, also written tadka, usually refers to the finishing step: spices and garlic are fried quickly in hot fat and poured over the cooked lentils at the end, so their aroma sits right on top of the dish.
The result is gentle, savoury and comforting, with the fried garlic doing much of the work. It is not a hot dish, which makes it one of the most useful things you can order for a mixed table. It pairs with almost anything, and it is the dish we would suggest to anyone who wants a meal that feels nourishing rather than indulgent.
If you like the flavour of browned garlic, our piece on garlic and ginger in Indian cooking explains why it matters so much to the way Indian food tastes.
Dall Makani: smoky, slow and creamy
Dall Makani sits at the richer end of the lentil family. Our menu describes it as subtle smoky lentils with a creamy finish and gentle spice. The name is closely related to makhani, the buttery style of cooking associated with dishes such as butter chicken, and that richness is what sets it apart from Tarka Dall.
Versions of this dish are usually cooked slowly, which gives the lentils time to break down and thicken. That kind of patient cooking is a theme across Indian kitchens, and we wrote about it in Indian slow cooking. Dall Makani is excellent with naan for scooping, and it holds its own as the main event for vegetarians.
Danshak: lentils as a sauce
Lentils are not only served as a side. In our Danshak, they become the base of a fairly hot, sweet and sour sauce, which you can have with chicken, lamb, paneer or king prawn. It is a very different experience from a bowl of dall: thicker, sharper and with more heat, and a good choice if you enjoy curries with a bit of tang.
Chana Masala: the chickpea option
Strictly speaking chickpeas are a pulse rather than a lentil, but they belong in the same conversation. Chana Masala is chickpeas cooked with garlic, onions, tomatoes and lime in a medium-spiced sauce. It is heartier than Tarka Dall and slightly more acidic thanks to the tomato and lime, and it works well as a vegetarian main or as a side to share.
How to order lentils well
A few simple rules help:
- Order one dall for the table. Even if everyone is having a meat curry, a bowl of Tarka Dall to share makes the whole meal feel more complete.
- Pick the dall that contrasts with your main. With something rich and creamy, choose Tarka Dall for lightness. With a drier tandoori dish, Dall Makani adds the sauce you are missing.
- Think about bread and rice. Lentils love plain rice, and Zeera Rice adds a gentle cumin note. For scooping, a Plain Naan or Tandoori Roti is ideal. Our guide to Indian breads covers the differences.
- Add spinach if you like greens. Saag Aloo or Saag Paneer alongside a dall makes a very satisfying vegetarian spread.
Lentils for vegetarian and vegan guests
Dall dishes are among the most important options for anyone not eating meat. If you are vegan, ask about how a dish is finished, as butter is a traditional part of tarka and of Dall Makani. Our team can tell you what can be adapted. For more ideas, see our guide to vegan Indian food. Please tell us about allergies when you book. Our kitchen handles nuts, dairy, eggs, gluten, fish, shellfish, soya and sesame.
Come and try it
Lentils are one of the best ways to understand what an Indian kitchen does with simple ingredients and careful spicing. Next time you join us, put a dall on the table and see how much it changes the meal. Browse the full menu, or if you are on your way to a show, take a look at our pre-theatre menu and book a table.
