Dhabay ki Daal

Published: Jun 14, 2013 · Modified: May 21, 2020 by Vaishali · This post may contain affiliate links · 30 Comments

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Total time: 40 minutes minutes

This creamy Dhabay ki Dal or Dhaba Style Dal is frequently sold at north India's roadside restaurants, dhabas, but it is easy enough to make a just-as-delicious version at home.

Dhabay ki Daal - Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes (1)

Dhabas are north India's greasy spoons-- tiny roadside shacks that dot highways and mostly cater to weary truckers who pull in for a hearty, hot meal before heading over to the petrol pump (as gas stations are known in India) next door. Outside each dhaba are rows of charpoys, small Indian cots, where the truckers can nap awhile, right there under the open sky and by the dust-smothered highway, before getting back on the road.

If you've eaten at an Indian restaurant anywhere in the world, chances are you've already eaten some of the distinctive cuisine served by these otherwise unglamourous eateries: lassi, naan, aloo mattar, and, of course, this creamy, deceptively indulgent Dhabay ki Daal, one of my favorites.

There are perhaps a million different ways to make a dal, but Dhabay ki Daal has got to be one of the most special. It bursts with rapturous flavor from the few spices and the three different legumes that go into it. And its smooth, creamy, indulgent texture belies just how healthy this dish, made right, can actually be.

Dhabay ki Daal is not typically a vegan treat-- there is usually butter in the recipe which not just lends the dish additional flavor but also gives the dish a satiny texture. Because the butter plays such a crucial role, I added some vegan butter to round off the dish and mellow out the richness of the spices. You can leave it out but honestly, don't. It's just one tablespoon for more than eight servings, so it's not like you're eating a lot of fat. In fact, this dish is such a healthy one overall that your tastebuds and your waistline will be thanking you for the treat. Now how often does that happen?

To make this a true dhaba experience, serve this dal with a spicy veggie, like thisBaingan Bharta, another popular dhaba food, some rice, or a naan. And a tall, cooling glass ofVegan Mango Lassi.

More vegan Indian dal recipes

Amaranth Dal
Instant Pot Vegan Dal Makhani
Rajasthani Panchmel Dal
Tomato Dal
Maa ki Dal

This creamy Dhabay ki Dal or Dhaba Style Dal is frequently sold at north India's roadside restaurants, dhabas, but it is easy enough to make a just-as-delicious version at home.

5 from 5 votes

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Course: Side

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 25 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 10

Calories: 125kcal

Author: Vaishali · Holy Cow Vegan

Ingredients

▢ ½ cup chana dal
▢ ½ cup urad dal
▢ ½ cup rajma (red kidney beans)
▢ 1 teaspoon cumin powder
▢ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
▢ 1 teaspoon cayenne (Use less or more per your taste_
▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric
▢ 1 tablespoon ginger , grated or ground into a paste
▢ 6 cloves garlic , grated or ground into a paste
▢ 1 large tomato , finely chopped
▢ 1 onion , minced
▢ ¼ cup kasoori methi
▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
▢ 1 tablespoon vegan butter , like Earth Balance

Instructions

Cook the legumes. I will share with you here my "shortcut" way of doing this-- because rajma takes much longer to cook than the two lentils, and because I don't always remember to presoak my beans, I faux-soak the rajma by covering it with 2 inches of water in a microwave-safe dish, zap it for about 10 minutes, add more water if needed, and then zap again for another 10 minutes. Then I place the legumes and the rajma in a pressure cooker and cook them together. If you don't have a pressure cooker, you can cover the lentils and the soaked rajma with water in a large saucepan, slap on a lid, and cook about an hour.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan.
Add the ginger and garlic, saute for a minute on a medium-low flame, and then add the onions.
Saute the onions until brown spots appear, about 8-10 minutes.
Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric powders and salt to taste. Add the tomatoes and saute until they are cooked down, about five minutes.
Now add the cooked lentils and stir well to mix. Add some water if the dal is too thick.
Cover with a lid and cook about 8-10 minutes for all the flavors to meld together. Crush the kasoori methi with your fingers and sprinkle over the dal. Mix in the butter and stir until it's melted into the dal.
Stir in the cilantro, turn off the heat, and serve hot.

Nutrition

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About Vaishali

Hi! I'm Vaishali, a journalist turned food blogger. At Holy Cow Vegan I share easy, tasty recipes made with clean, wholesome ingredients that the entire family can enjoy.

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Comments

Leave a comment:

Vince
September 12, 2022 at 10:18 pm

Another outstanding recipe. Vaishali you always deliver! This is my go-to site for awesome vegetarian food.
Reply
- Vaishali
  September 12, 2022 at 10:34 pm
  Awesome! Thanks for the kind words ❤️
  Reply
Tanaji Rohidas Gaikwad
March 25, 2019 at 11:36 am

Thanks for this excellent recipe
Reply
Sanajy Mishra
June 07, 2018 at 7:50 am

Thanks for this excellent recipe, we all enjoyed this currie . first time i used kasoori methi in it. and now I used it in many other recipes as well.
Reply
Gagan Mahotra
June 21, 2013 at 6:14 am
I Love To Eat at Dhabha.
I Love The Dhaba Food, & Snap Of Your daal Reminds Me The Dhaba & My Friends.
Really It is Looking Like Daal i ate at Dhaba.
Reply
jodye @ chocolate and chou fleur
June 19, 2013 at 11:16 pm
This sounds like such a wonderful daal! I must make this soon, as I've been craving something hearty and warming, despite the hot weather.
Reply
Mel
June 19, 2013 at 10:37 am
It looks like such a delicious dal! This dal lover will definitely give it a try soon.
Reply
- Mel
  July 01, 2013 at 9:50 am
  
  Thanks for this fantastic recipe, we all loved it! My son doesn't always like curries but he really enjoyed this. I adored the kasoori methi in it which I haven't used in many recipes previously.
  One question about the udad dal you used, is that the whole black lentils or split black lentils? I used whole black lentils and the dal turned out much darker than your photos so I was curious to know.
  Reply
- Vaishali Honawar
  July 01, 2013 at 2:08 pm
  Hi Mel, I used the split white lentils, although the ones with the black skin on are good too-- in fact, the dhabas usually use the dal with the skin on, so you'd be closer to the original. 🙂 Happy you and your family liked it.
  Reply
  See Also
  cabbage sabzi recipe | cabbage curry | cabbage ki sabzi north indian style
Priya Suresh
June 18, 2013 at 11:06 am
Thick dal makes me drool, looks fabulous and highly nutritious.
Reply
- ajinkyapawarpune
  May 22, 2015 at 5:15 am
  amazing true dhaba experience
  Reply
Swati Sapna
June 17, 2013 at 8:03 pm
Who doesnt love Dhabey ki Dal? And of course you are right, its just not the same without a good helping of butter to round of the spices 😀
My favorite roadside dhaba dal, though, is the Dal Tadka made with toor dal, lots of jeera and garlic, and dried red chillies. Yumm!
Reply
Nupur
June 16, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Oh Vaishali- how perfectly delicious! I'm so excited that you'll be sending this in to MLLA! Eagerly awaiting your e-mail.
Reply
Chitz
June 15, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Ahh.. Love this anytime.. Such a comfort food it is with hot phulkas 🙂
Reply
Nivedhanams Sowmya
June 15, 2013 at 4:37 am
Can we use the broken white dal also? And yes this looks so comforting and so tempting...Sowmya
Reply
- Vaishali Honawar
  June 15, 2013 at 2:19 pm
  Sure, Sowmya. Broke dal would be fine.
  Reply
ammasdtr19
June 15, 2013 at 3:31 am
You are amazing sister, thank you!
Reply
Vaishali Honawar
June 14, 2013 at 9:01 pm
Hi Ash, I mean the regular white dal, although if you have the dal with the black skin on that would work too-- in fact I think that's more authentic but I didn't have it on hand. Thanks so much for helping with the reader question-- you rock!
Reply
Ashwini Deshpande
June 14, 2013 at 8:41 pm
I love the dhaba style Dal.. By Udad dal, do you mean the white or the black dal???? I may try this this weekend with Black udad dal, which I have on hand. About the whistles, I do use the Indian cooker that whistles, for Rajma and Black Udad Dal for makhani, I go for 3-4 whistles on medium and then 5 mins on the lowest mark. I have gas stove so this works for me. I also need to pre soak the lentils.
Love Ash.
Reply
Sangita Kalarickal
June 14, 2013 at 5:48 pm
Am so trying this tonight! Love the mixture of dals, its really healthy...protein, fiber, everything!Also thanks for the quick soak method, I always decide my menu at teh last minute and this is a great trick!
Reply
Melina
June 14, 2013 at 4:10 pm
Ohhhhhh this looks soooo good. I'm just trying to figure out what the dals (lentils?) might be called here (I live in Greece). It must be annoying to have people ask for substitutions all the time but would regular lentils do? We have green and yellow here, we also have split peas (yellow or green) here also that look a bit like the chala dal. Maybe some time (when you have loads of free time lol) you could write a post on the various legumes with some pics 😀
Reply
- Vaishali Honawar
  June 14, 2013 at 5:18 pm
  Melina, if you can't find chana or udad dal use the yellow lentils and the kidney beans, if you can find them, or even pinto beans. The Dal will have a different texture and slightly different flavor, but it will still be delicious.
  Reply
- Melina
  June 19, 2013 at 11:51 am
  Thank you for the response! I will definitely try with the yellow lentils and kidney beans.
  Reply
Kamini
June 14, 2013 at 2:18 pm
Oh gosh, I love any dhaba food. The flavor is unbeatable and unique. Have stopped many a time at these roadside eateries and come away stuffed. Have tried unsuccessfully to recreate many of the recipes at home, but they never quite have that same flavor. Will give this a try for sure. I'm a dal-phile, so I'm sure it will be amazing. Thanks V.
Reply
- Vaishali Honawar
  June 14, 2013 at 8:13 pm
  Hi Kamini, from one dal-phile to another, hope you try it!
  Reply
Pavani N
June 14, 2013 at 1:39 pm
That's a delicious dal. I would love to try it soon.
Reply
Anonymous
June 14, 2013 at 4:50 pm
So if preparing daal in pressure cooker for how many whistles we should cook it? And how much of water we should add?
Reply
- Vaishali Honawar
  June 14, 2013 at 5:20 pm
  I use a fa*gor pressure cooker which doesn't "whistle" so I am afraid I can't answer that question. In my cooker I usually cook the dal, unsoaked, for about 8 minutes on a high pressure setting. Maybe a reader who uses one of the cookers that "whistles" can help?
  Reply
Manasi
June 14, 2013 at 12:39 pm
Oh I love dhabey ki daal. I was lucky to taste it a few times when I was traveling thru Punjab. Huge vats of daal are empty after lunch, a feat I would have thought impossible, until I saw it with my eyes!
I bet, making this in a slow cooker will also taste FAB! Will try it, but with makhhan!
Reply
- Vaishali Honawar
  June 14, 2013 at 8:13 pm
  Hi Manasi, sounds like such a lovely experience! One warning about cooking dal in a slow-cooker-- it never seems to quite get done. The dal remains hard instead of turning mushy. Have you had better luck?
  Reply

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