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Dal: 3 creator recipes compared

Every one is built on garlic and turmeric powder. Some add green moong dal or musur dal.

Start with The Guardian’s versionSee all 3 side by side

Times are estimated preparation and cooking; chilling or resting is extra. Updated 22 October 2026.

House Black Dal by The Guardian, a frame from the Instagram video

Make this one first.

We put the most-saved version first: The Guardian’s. A hearty, smoky black lentil curry that captures the aromatic essence of Dishoom’s signature House Black Dal. Earthy black lentils are simmered with a fragrant blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, red chili, and garam masala, then finished with fresh cilantro for brightness—a comforting vegetarian dinner.

House Black Dal from The Guardian’s Instagram video

The video loads from Instagram when you tap.

House Black Dal

Recipe from The Guardian, from their Instagram videoWritten down by ReelsMeals from the caption and voiceover.

  • 45 min
  • Serves 4
  • 14 ingredients
  • Simmered

The only one of the 3 with black lentils.

Ingredients

  • 200 gblack lentils
  • 1 pieceonion
  • 2 piecestomato
  • 3 clovesgarlic
  • 1 tbspginger
  • 1 tspcumin seeds
  • 1 tspcoriander powder
  • 1/2 tspturmeric powder
  • 1/2 tspred chili powder
  • 1/2 tspgaram masala
  • 2 tbspoil
  • to tastesalt
  • 800 mlwater
  • 2 tbspfresh cilantro

How it goes

  1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large pot over medium heat.

  2. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let them sizzle for about 10 seconds until fragrant.

  3. Add the diced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5‑6 minutes until golden brown.

  4. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger; cook for 1 minute, ensuring they do not brown.

  5. Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 3‑4 minutes, stirring until they soften and break down.

  6. Sprinkle in the coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and garam masala; stir well and cook for another 30 seconds to toast the spices.

Then 4 more steps in the full recipe.

Open the full recipe

All 3, side by side.

From each creator’s recipe as we saved it. Time is the estimated preparation and cooking time; chilling is extra where they say so. Ingredient counts include everything on the list.

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10 min or less · 7 or fewer11 to 29 min · 8 or 930 min or more · 10 or more

3 dal recipes compared by estimated time, servings, ingredients, method and what only that version uses. The Guardian’s, the one to make first, is highlighted.
VersionTime (est.)ServesIngredientsMethodOnly this one uses
House Black DalThe Guardian · make this one first45 min414Simmeredblack lentils
Khatta Mug DalPalak Patel45 min416Pressure cooker, Simmeredgreen moong dal, yogurt, besan and ghee
Arhar Musur DalArpita45 min415Pressure cooker, Simmeredmusur dal, toor dal, mustard oil and red chilies

What they share.

  • All 3use garlic.
  • All 3use turmeric powder.
  • 2 of 3use onion. Palak Patel’s version leaves it out.
  • 2 of 3use tomato. Palak Patel’s version leaves it out.
  • 2 of 3use ginger. Arpita’s version leaves it out.
  • 2 of 3use cumin seeds. Arpita’s version leaves it out.

Counted from each version’s ingredient list. Salt, pepper, oil and water are left out, and names are matched loosely, so chicken thighs and chicken legs both count as chicken.

Where they differ.

  • How they cook it

    Palak Patel and Arpita use a pressure cooker; The Guardian doesn't.

  • Something only one of them uses

    The Guardian is the only one to use black lentils. Palak Patel is the only one to use green moong dal, yogurt, besan and ghee. Arpita is the only one to use musur dal, toor dal, mustard oil and red chilies.

  • What they serve it with

    Palak Patel serves it with yogurt‑besan mixture and tempering. Arpita serves it with tadka.

All 3, with their videos.

Each one opens as a full recipe with the creator credited and the original video linked.

How this comparison works.

Every recipe here comes from a creator’s own video. ReelsMeals writes it down from the caption and the voiceover, and publishes it with the creator named and the original linked. When three or more versions of a dish from at least two creators are saved, the dish gets a page like this one. Reposts and the same video saved twice count once.

Times and servings come from the saved recipe cards and may be estimated. Ingredient names are matched loosely, so chicken thighs and chicken legs both count as chicken. We don’t rank them by taste: the version shown first is the one ReelsMeals cooks have saved most. Last updated 22 October 2026.

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