• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe

Jo's Kitchen Larder

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Main Courses

    Published: Mar 13, 2020 · Modified: Oct 23, 2024 by joskitchenlarder · 9 Comments. · This post may contain affiliate links ·

    Tarka Dhal with Spinach (Vegan)

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Bookmark Bookmarked!
    Tarka Dhal with Spinach with added coriander.

    Easy to make, full of flavour, vegan & naturally gluten-free my Tarka Dhal recipe has extra nutrition from added spinach. Quick enough for a midweek meal it can be served as a main or a side dish accompaniment to your weekend curry feast! Wholesome, nutritious and filling too.

    Tarka Dhal garnished with coriander in a pan.

    This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on a link and go on to buy the product I recommend, I will get a small commission, but you will not be charged a penny more. Thanks in advance! 

    If you are looking into incorporating more plant based foods into your diet then cooking some vegetarian and vegan curries and dhals is the perfect way to start. They are the sort of meals that won't make you miss meat in the slightest. They are not only wholesome and nutritious in themselves but are also perfect carriers for some extra green goodness.

    What is dhal?

    Dhal (also spelled dal, daal or dahl) refers to dried split pulses (lentils, peas, beans) as opposed to whole pulses. It is also a name of a dish that uses these split pulses prepared to either thin or thick soup-like consistency.  [source: Larousse Gastronomique*]

    One of the great things about dhal is that it doesn't take long to cook and split pulses don't require pre-soaking either hence their popularity. Split pulses are usually cooked with some sort of liquid (water or stock) that they absorb until tender.

    What is tarka in Tarka Dhal?

    Tarka refers to the way of seasoning with hot oil flavoured with whole spices, chillies, ginger etc., which is then added to the dishes like dhals at the end or sometimes at the beginning of cooking. It is also referred to as tempering of spices in the hot oil. [source:Wikipedia]

    In some authentic tarka dhals you can see this tempered oil with spices, chillies etc. sitting on top of cooked lentils or other split pulses. To ensure that my dhal is beautifully flavoured all the way through and as I don't add any flavourings when cooking my split chickpeas, I went on to mix my tarka with the chickpeas all the way through . As far as I'm concerned, that's the way to go!

    Plated portion of Tarka Dhal with drizzle of raita.

    Chana Dal (Split Yellow Chickpeas)

    My split pulses of choice are Split Yellow Chickpeas also known as Chana Dal. You can get them at any supermarket. It's worth checking out the World Foods sections of your supermarket where you are most likely to get bigger and cheaper bags of any legumes you want rather than looking at branded or supermarket own products.

    What can you substitute chana dal with?

    Chana Dal (split chickpeas) can be easily substituted with yellow split peas. To be honest, most of us westerners wouldn't be able to tell the difference. For a long time I was convinced that chana dal is the same as yellow split peas. Well, I was wrong but let's not dwell on that.

    Few helpful tips when making Tarka Dhal with Spinach

    1. Make sure you give your split chickpeas a good rinse before cooking until the water runs really clear. The best way to do it is to pop then on a large sieve* and rinse under the tap. This way you will get rid of any dust and unwanted debris.
    2. Don't add salt to the water when cooking your split chickpeas as it will make them tough. To be honest, I have not experienced it myself but I've read this advice a lot so there must be something to it.
    3. Feel free to use tinned chopped tomatoes in place of fresh ones if you don't have any to hand. I would still puree them with garlic into a pulp in your food processor unless you want chunkier tarka of course.
    4. I've added spinach to my dhal as this is the only way my kids will eat it so I add it to whatever I can. Feel free to leave it out or if you don't have fresh spinach to hand you can easily substitute it with frozen one (defrost it first as per the instructions on the packaging) or even with some kale leaves (no stalks).
    5. My Tarka Dhal recipe doesn't include any chillies (see below: What can you serve with Tarka Dhal?) but you can add them at the same stage as your onion, ginger and cumin seeds for that fresh chilli heat. The amount of chillies and what type to use is up to you!

    Bowl of dhal with rice with lemon wedge.

    What can you serve with Tarka Dhal?

    My Tarka Dhal with Spinach is definitely filling enough to be served as a main meal when accompanied by some rice. I love to serve it with my easy turmeric rice as on the photos or easy Indian spiced basmati rice. I also like to serve my homemade cucumber raita alongside it. Little drizzle of this beautifully cooling sauce goes so well with this dhal (especially if you are quite generous with your chilli sauce).

    That brings me to another accompaniment to Tarka Dhal which is Sriracha sauce. As you might have noticed my recipe doesn't call for any chillies. The reason being, it is supposed to be a mild family curry. My kids can handle some amount of spice, however, I find it much easier to simply use my favourite Sriracha sauce* to adjust the heat once plated. You can of course use any hot chilli sauce you like or if you are not catering for chilli wimps or kids, add some chopped chillis when frying your tarka with onion, ginger and cumin seeds.

    Other than that the choice of extra accompaniments to your dhal is quite vast. You can serve it with naan bread, chapatis, poppadums and any pickles and chutneys that take your fancy.

    Bowl of dhal with raita drizzle with rice & raita on the side.

    Can you reheat Tarka Dhal?

    Absolutely! If you're left with any leftovers you can put them in the lidded container you normally use for your leftovers and store in the fridge for 2-3 days. Make sure you only reheat it once though so if you only want a little bit of what's left make sure you take out only what you want instead of reheating the entire thing.

    You can reheat your dhal in a saucepan with a splash of water to adjust consistency as it will thicken substantially once cooled. Alternatively, pop it in the microwave and reheat until piping hot.

    Can you freeze Tarka Dhal?

    The answer is yes! Tarka Dhal freezes really well so if you'd like to make double batch of this recipe and freeze some for later you most certainly can!

    Once cooked, make sure you cool your dhal first. Once cooled, transfer it to freezer safe bag or lidded container and pop in the freezer where it will last for up to 3 months.

    To defrost simply take it out of the freezer and put in the fridge to defrost nice and slow overnight. Reheat as per instructions above.

    How to make tarka dhal?

    Cooking split chickpeas (chana dal)

    • Start with rinsing your chana dhal until water runs clear.
    • Put it in the pan with 900ml/4 cups of water, stir well and put on the medium heat.
    Rinsed chana dhal being added to the pan.
    Chana dhal in a pan with water.
    • Bring it boil and make sure to remove as much of the scum that will form on the surface as possible.
    Taking scum off with the spoon.
    Boiling chana dhal after scum's been taken off.
    • Lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 30-40 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed and your split peas are tender but not mushy. Set aside.

    Cooked chana dhal in a pan.

    Cooking Tarka

    • While your split chickpeas are cooking prepare your tarka.
    • Put 2 tablespoon of oil in the large frying pan or shallow casseroled dish and add chopped onion, ginger and cumin seeds.

    Onion, ginger and cumin seeds in oiled frying pan.

    • Fry them gently until softened and aromatic 5-7 minutes.
    • Puree tomatoes and garlic together in a food processor or using your hand blender and add to the onion and ginger mixture in a pan following by spices and water. Give everything a good mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Process of adding pureed tomatoes, spices, water & salt.

    • Simmer for approx. 10 minutes stirring ocassionally.
    • Add fresh spinach and mix it in until it wilts.
    • Add cooked split chickpeas and give everything a good stir.

    Adding spinach to wilt followed by cooked chana dhal.

    • Add as much chopped fresh coriander/cilantro as you want and enjoy!

    Finished dhal with wilted spinach.

    📋 Recipe

    Close up of prepared Tarka Dhal with coriander garnish.
    Print Pin
    5 from 8 votes

    Tarka Dhal with Spinach (Vegan)

    Easy to make, full of flavour, vegan & naturally gluten-free my Tarka Dhal recipe has extra nutrition from added spinach. Quick enough for a midweek meal it can be served as a main or a side dish accompaniment to your weekend curry feast! Wholesome, nutritious and filling too.
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine British, fusion, Indian
    Keyword tarka dhal
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes minutes
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 327kcal
    Author Jo Allison
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 250 g chana dal (split chickpeas) rinsed well
    • 900 ml water

    Tarka

    • 3-4 tomatoes see notes
    • 2-3 garlic cloves (depending o the size) peeled and minced
    • 2 tablespoon rapeseed/olive oil
    • 1 small onion finely chopped
    • small piece of fresh ginger (11g) peeled and finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon (heaped) cumin seeds
    • 1.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
    • 1.5 teaspoon garam masala
    • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
    • salt & pepper to taste
    • 100 ml water
    • 100 g fresh baby spinach optional (see notes)
    • large handful of fresh coriander
    • Your favourite Sriracha sauce to serve see notes

    Instructions

    • Start with rinsing your chana dal (split chickpeas) until water runs clear.
    • Put it in the pan with 900ml/4 cups of water, stir it well and put on the medium heat.
    • Bring it boil and make sure to remove as much of the scum that will form on the surface as possible.
    • Lower the heat and simmer partly covered for 30-40 minutes or until most of the water has been absorbed and your split peas are tender but not mushy. Set aside.
    • While your split peas are cooking prepare your tarka.
    • Put 2 tablespoon of oil in the large frying pan or shallow casseroled dish and add chopped onion, ginger and cumin seeds.
    • Fry them gently until softened and aromatic 5-7 minutes.
    • Puree tomatoes and garlic together in a food processor or using your hand blender and add to the onion and ginger mixture in a pan following by spices and water. Give everything a good mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    • Simmer for approx. 10 minutes stirring ocassionally.
    • Add fresh spinach and mix it in until it wilts.
    • Add cooked split chickpeas and give everything a good stir.
    • Add as much chopped fresh coriander/cilantro as you want and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Nutritional information is approximate, per serving (based on 4 servings) and should be treated as a guideline only.
    • This recipe will yield 4 main servings or 6 servings as a side.
    • The time to prepare the recipe is 50 minutes providing you prepare your tarka as your split chickpeas are cooking. 
    • You can substitute a tin of chopped tomatoes for fresh ones. Make sure you still puree them together with garlic to smooth consistency.
    • Feel free to use frozen spinach instead. Make sure you cook it first as per instructions on the packaging. Drain it well and stir it in at the very end of cooking. 
    • My Tarka Dhal recipe doesn't include any chillies. This is intentional as all our meals are always eaten by my two boys who are not than keen on spicy food. To rectify that I always have my favourite sriracha sauce on hand to add some heat to my and hubby's portions once on our plates! This way everybody's happy!
    • Store in the fridge for 2-3 days.
    • Freezer friendly for up to 3 months. 

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Tarka Dhal with Spinach (Vegan)
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 327 Calories from Fat 81
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 9g14%
    Saturated Fat 1g5%
    Sodium 51mg2%
    Potassium 1081mg31%
    Carbohydrates 48g16%
    Fiber 19g76%
    Sugar 9g10%
    Protein 18g36%
    Vitamin A 3225IU65%
    Vitamin C 24mg29%
    Calcium 105mg11%
    Iron 5mg28%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Tried this recipe?Tag me @Joskitchenlarder or use hashtag #joskitchenlarder!

    If you like my Tarka Dhal recipe you might also like:

    Easy Cauliflower & Lentil Curry

    Celeriac & Chard Vegetable Curry

    For more vegan family friendly recipes try these:

    Vegan Lentils & Spinach Lasagne

    Roasted Tomato & Basil Pasta

    Vegan Chilli Sin Carne

    Easy Chickpeas & Carrot Falafel Burgers

    Vegetarian Sausage Rolls (with instructions to make them vegan)

    MAKE SURE YOU STAY UP TO DATE WITH ALL THE LATEST RECIPES FROM JO’S KITCHEN LARDER

    Subscribe to our newsletter




    Have you tried my Tarka Dhal with Spinach? Leave a comment and rating at the bottom of this post, I love reading them!

    You can also come and say hello over on my Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest

    Pin Tarka Dhal with Spinach For Later?

    Tarka Dhal with Spinach with added coriander.

    More Main Course Recipes

    • Butternut squash and red lentil soup in a bowl garnished with parmesan and three pan fried sage leaves.
      Butternut Squash and Red Lentil Soup with Sage
    • Platter with a row of kohlrabi schnitzel slices garnished with dill.
      Kohlrabi Schnitzel
    • Soup in a bowl ready to serve.
      Classic Carrot and Coriander Soup
    • Close up of sweet potato and black bean stew served with quinoa.
      Sweet Potato and Black Bean Stew

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 8 votes (3 ratings without comment)

      Please leave a comment & rating if you've made my recipe! Feel free to ask questions too, I reply to all! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Ros @ ZenHealth says

      May 06, 2020 at 4:33 pm

      5 stars
      In the Caribbean, we make yellow split peas dhal too. It's similar in some respects, but the spices in the oil are different and we don't usually use tomatoes in our dhal. Will definitely be trying this version the next time I make dhal. Thanks and pinned. xo

      Reply
      • joskitchenlarder says

        May 07, 2020 at 8:12 am

        Hi Ros, I love any type of dhal but the ones made with yellow split peas in particular even though they might be a bit more time consuming that the ones made with lentils so will definitely check yours out. 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by. x

        Reply
    2. Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says

      March 18, 2020 at 4:38 pm

      5 stars
      I make something similar to this and it's one of my favourite meals ever! I especially love it as I can make a big batch one dinner-time and then have the leftovers for my lunches over the next few days. And of course it freezes beautifully! Eb x

      Reply
      • joskitchenlarder says

        March 19, 2020 at 9:25 pm

        This one is perfect for batch cooking, isn't it. Oh I do love leftover lunches, especially when they're so tasty 🙂 x

        Reply
    3. Michelle Rolfe says

      March 17, 2020 at 10:16 am

      5 stars
      A lentil dhal is always my meal choice when I want a meat free night as the spices and flavours are so abundant. I really like the look of this one so will give it a try. Thanks for linking up to #CookBlogShare. Michelle

      Reply
    4. Monika Dabrowski says

      March 15, 2020 at 8:55 am

      5 stars
      Delicious recipe and I love the spinach added towards the end. Shared:)

      Reply
      • joskitchenlarder says

        March 15, 2020 at 9:20 am

        Thank you Monika! 🙂 I do love it when something I make is loved by the entire family so very happy with this one.

        Reply
    5. Cat | Curly's Cooking says

      March 14, 2020 at 8:41 am

      5 stars
      I bought some chana dhal a few weeks ago to make tarka dhal but haven't got round to making it yet. I'll use your recipe when I make it now, it looks delicious.

      Reply
      • joskitchenlarder says

        March 14, 2020 at 8:56 am

        Oh how fab Cat and thank you! Please let me know how you get on. I make it on regular basis now and we all love it.

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi! I’m Jo and this blog is where I share lots of simple, family friendly and mostly plant based recipes we enjoy eating and now you can easily recreate at home.

    More about me →

    Trending

    • Soda bread loaf on a board with bread knife and butter.
      Irish Soda Bread with Yogurt
    • Bread with couple slices cut off, butter, jam & knives.
      Easy Wholemeal Bread Recipe (No Knead)
    • Close up of a veggie sausage roll on a baking tray.
      Vegetarian Sausage Rolls Recipe
    • Banana flapjacks decorated with banana slices.
      Healthy Banana Flapjacks

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy & Disclosures

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2017- 2025 Jo's Kitchen Larder | All Rights Reserved

    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    • Reddit
    • Flipboard
    • Email
    • WhatsApp

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.