Khatti Dal Hyderabadi Khatti Dal

What is Khatti Dal

The word khatti translates to ‘sour’ or ‘tangy‘ in English. So, the exact translation of Khatti Dal is ‘sour lentils‘ or ‘tangy lentils‘. The dal is cooked first till the desired consistency and then tempered. The tamarind (imli) brings in the sourness and makes it a unique dish. But don’t worry about the tangy taste as this Khatti Dal recipe is just as creamy, smooth and delicious as any other lentil recipe. You may have to get accustomed and develop a taste for this dal, but trust me, once you do its only going to be a repeat in your diet. Like many other lentil recipes, Khatti Dal is loaded with nutrition too as tuvar dal is a rich source of proteins, iron, B complex vitamins, fiber, folate and potassium. I have cooked the lentils in a stovetop pressure cooker. But I do give the instructions on cooking them in a pan or pot in the notes section of the recipe card below. You could also opt to cook the lentils in an Instant Pot. This makes it a hearty choice as well. You can enjoy this super easy to make Hyderabadi Khatti Dal with a plain steamed Basmati Rice, Jeera rice, Saffron Rice or Roti or Paratha. This Khatti Dal recipe has been adapted from the cookbook Dastarkhan-e-Moghlai: 101 Easy to Cook Hyderabadi Recipes by Geeta Devi. This book is a compendium of many traditional, rare as well as familiar vegetarian and non-vegetarian Hyderabadi delicacies. A must buy, and I totally recommend it to anyone and everyone who is a lover of this food repertoire or even otherwise.

How to make Khatti Dal

Cook the Lentils

1. Rinse 1 cup arhar dal/tuvar dal (split pigeon peas) a couple of times in water and then drain all the water.
2. In a 3 litre pressure cooker, add the rinsed tuvar dal and ½ cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped.
3. Next add 1 inch peeled ginger which is grated or finely chopped. Also, add 2 medium-sized garlic cloves that are grated or minced or crushed.
4. Also add a pinch of turmeric powder.
5. Then pour 2.5 cups water.
6. Pressure cook the dal on medium heat for 7 to 8 whistles or more, or till the lentils are fully cooked and mushy.
7. Meanwhile soak 1 tablespoon seedless tamarind in ½ cup hot water for 20 minutes.
8. Then squeeze the pulp from the tamarind directly into the same bowl in which tamarind was soaked.
9. When the pressure falls naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid.
10. Mash the dal with a madani, wooden spoon or hand blender till smooth.

Make Khatti Dal

11. Strain the tamarind pulp and add to the dal.
12. Stir and mix well.
13. Next add 2 to 3 chopped or slit green chilies and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
14. Also add ½ teaspoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
15. Mix very well.
16. Pour ¾ or 1 cup water or as needed.
17. Also add salt as required and stir to mix.
18. Keep the dal on a low heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away, the flavors have blended well and the dal has reached a medium consistency.
19. Cover and keep the cooked dal aside.

Prepare Tempering

20. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making tempering:

12 to 15 curry leaves3 to 4 tablespoons ghee or oil 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 6 to 8 small to medium-sized garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 2 to 3 dried red chilies – broken and seeds removed

21. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a small frying pan. Let the ghee melt on low heat.
22. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let the seeds crackle.
23. Then add 6 to 8 garlic cloves which are finely chopped.
24. Fry chopped garlic for 4 to 5 seconds on low heat.
25. Then add 2 to 3 dried red chilies, 12 to 15 curry leaves and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing).
26. Fry for some seconds on low heat, till the red chilies change their color and the curry leaves become crisp.
27. Pour this entire tempering mixture over the dal.
28. Stir to combine.
29. Cover and keep aside the Khatti Dal for 5 to 6 minutes for the flavors to mingle.
30. Serve Khatti Dal with steamed basmati rice, cumin rice, saffron rice or roti.

Expert Tips

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Dal Makhani Recipe Dal Fry Recipe Dal Tadka Recipe (Restaurant Style & Home Style) Dal Palak Recipe | Easy Spinach Dal This Khatti Dal from the archives first published in August 2013 has been republished and updated on December 2022.

title: “Khatti Dal Hyderabadi Khatti Dal " ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-11” author: “Sharon Behrens”

What is Khatti Dal

The word khatti translates to ‘sour’ or ‘tangy‘ in English. So, the exact translation of Khatti Dal is ‘sour lentils‘ or ‘tangy lentils‘. The dal is cooked first till the desired consistency and then tempered. The tamarind (imli) brings in the sourness and makes it a unique dish. But don’t worry about the tangy taste as this Khatti Dal recipe is just as creamy, smooth and delicious as any other lentil recipe. You may have to get accustomed and develop a taste for this dal, but trust me, once you do its only going to be a repeat in your diet. Like many other lentil recipes, Khatti Dal is loaded with nutrition too as tuvar dal is a rich source of proteins, iron, B complex vitamins, fiber, folate and potassium. I have cooked the lentils in a stovetop pressure cooker. But I do give the instructions on cooking them in a pan or pot in the notes section of the recipe card below. You could also opt to cook the lentils in an Instant Pot. This makes it a hearty choice as well. You can enjoy this super easy to make Hyderabadi Khatti Dal with a plain steamed Basmati Rice, Jeera rice, Saffron Rice or Roti or Paratha. This Khatti Dal recipe has been adapted from the cookbook Dastarkhan-e-Moghlai: 101 Easy to Cook Hyderabadi Recipes by Geeta Devi. This book is a compendium of many traditional, rare as well as familiar vegetarian and non-vegetarian Hyderabadi delicacies. A must buy, and I totally recommend it to anyone and everyone who is a lover of this food repertoire or even otherwise.

How to make Khatti Dal

Cook the Lentils

1. Rinse 1 cup arhar dal/tuvar dal (split pigeon peas) a couple of times in water and then drain all the water.
2. In a 3 litre pressure cooker, add the rinsed tuvar dal and ½ cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium-sized tomato, chopped.
3. Next add 1 inch peeled ginger which is grated or finely chopped. Also, add 2 medium-sized garlic cloves that are grated or minced or crushed.
4. Also add a pinch of turmeric powder.
5. Then pour 2.5 cups water.
6. Pressure cook the dal on medium heat for 7 to 8 whistles or more, or till the lentils are fully cooked and mushy.
7. Meanwhile soak 1 tablespoon seedless tamarind in ½ cup hot water for 20 minutes.
8. Then squeeze the pulp from the tamarind directly into the same bowl in which tamarind was soaked.
9. When the pressure falls naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid.
10. Mash the dal with a madani, wooden spoon or hand blender till smooth.

Make Khatti Dal

11. Strain the tamarind pulp and add to the dal.
12. Stir and mix well.
13. Next add 2 to 3 chopped or slit green chilies and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.
14. Also add ½ teaspoon red chili powder and 1 teaspoon coriander powder.
15. Mix very well.
16. Pour ¾ or 1 cup water or as needed.
17. Also add salt as required and stir to mix.
18. Keep the dal on a low heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or till the raw aroma of the tamarind goes away, the flavors have blended well and the dal has reached a medium consistency.
19. Cover and keep the cooked dal aside.

Prepare Tempering

20. Measure and keep all the ingredients ready for making tempering:

12 to 15 curry leaves3 to 4 tablespoons ghee or oil 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) ½ teaspoon cumin seeds 6 to 8 small to medium-sized garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped 2 to 3 dried red chilies – broken and seeds removed

21. Heat 3 to 4 tablespoons of ghee or oil in a small frying pan. Let the ghee melt on low heat.
22. Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and let the seeds crackle.
23. Then add 6 to 8 garlic cloves which are finely chopped.
24. Fry chopped garlic for 4 to 5 seconds on low heat.
25. Then add 2 to 3 dried red chilies, 12 to 15 curry leaves and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing).
26. Fry for some seconds on low heat, till the red chilies change their color and the curry leaves become crisp.
27. Pour this entire tempering mixture over the dal.
28. Stir to combine.
29. Cover and keep aside the Khatti Dal for 5 to 6 minutes for the flavors to mingle.
30. Serve Khatti Dal with steamed basmati rice, cumin rice, saffron rice or roti.

Expert Tips

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Dal Makhani Recipe Dal Fry Recipe Dal Tadka Recipe (Restaurant Style & Home Style) Dal Palak Recipe | Easy Spinach Dal This Khatti Dal from the archives first published in August 2013 has been republished and updated on December 2022.