Pakistani comfort meal · 40 minutes
Daal Chawal Recipe (Pakistani Masoor Daal with Rice)
Silky daal. Hot tarka. Plain rice.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenDaal chawal is the Pakistani comfort meal: soft, silky masoor daal over plain white rice, with achar and kachumber on the side. Daal turns grainy or bland when undercooked or under-tempered. The fix is cooking the lentils until they fully break down, whisking smooth, and pouring a sizzling garlic and cumin tarka over just before serving.
The 3 laws of daal chawal
Why this recipe works
Firm lentils
Silky texture.
Lumpy
Creamy daal.
No tarka
Flavour comes alive.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Daal
Tarka and rice
The NineFoods daal gauge
Is the daal ready?
Stir and look.
Method · 3 stages
Step by step
Daal
- Boil daal with water, turmeric, chilli, salt and tomato; skim.
- Simmer until broken down; whisk. Use the gauge above.
Rice
- Boil soaked basmati in salted water; drain.
Tarka
- Sizzle cumin, garlic and chillies in ghee; pour over the daal.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Undercooked.
Fix next time
Cook until broken down.
Why
Weak tarka.
Fix next time
Use ghee and garlic.
Why
Cooled.
Fix next time
Thin with hot water.
Why
Burnt garlic.
Fix next time
Take off at golden.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Masoor | Daal | Moong or mixed daal |
| Ghee | Tarka | Oil |
| Basmati | Rice | Any long-grain rice |
| Achar | Side | Lemon pickle |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Achar, kachumber, papad and fried onions.
Store
Daal fridge 3 days; freezes.
Reheat
Thin with water; fresh tarka.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 4 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 3 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the daal ready) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Daal Chawal FAQ
What is daal chawal?
Lentils served over plain rice.
Which daal is best?
Masoor is classic; moong or mixed daal also work.
How do I make daal silky?
Cook until broken down and whisk.
What goes with daal chawal?
Achar, kachumber, papad and fried onions.