We are, whom you might call as a, "Dal family"! No, not 'cos we have "Dal" as our last name but due to the fact that we love our lentils way too much. Or..err..truthfully that's what I make often enough. Can you blame me if I find it simpler and faster to put together than other side dishes? So, most probably I have made all the types of dal recipes there is! Talk about confidence! If you think, I am mouthing too much, feel free to send me your favorite dal recipes. You know I will def. make them ;)  Coming to this recipe, it is a popular restaurant favorite. I have seen it used interchangeably or at times in the same lines as "Tadka Dal". I personally think they are different albeit minimally. To me, Tadka Dal is about the "Tadka" (duh!) or "Tempering" whereas this is about the richness of the Dal by itself. See, the minute you hear the word "Fry", you think about richness whereas "Tempering" mnemonics something simple, comforting and warm. OK, even to the point of you accusing me of trying too hard to see the difference, I am sticking to my stance :).

The highlight of this recipe is "Ghee". The generous you make it, generous the taste although a little does add enough dimension to this otherwise simple dal. While the Tadka Dal follows the method of preparing the dal completely along with onions and tomatoes with the tempering poured right before (or while) serving, this dal is all about the tempering acting as a base for the dal instead of just a garnish. I provide the difference to this otherwise twin cousin of Tadka Dal by using a different lentil. I normally use Red Lentils for Tadka Dal whereas I use Pigeon peas for this version. While I compromise on the Ghee when it comes to Tadka Dal by using only oil, Ghee is a must for me when I make this. Pigeon Peas and Ghee is my idea of comfort food. Bliss!