Dal Done Right: The Comfort of Indian Lentils

Ask an Indian cook what they eat at home and the answer is almost always dal. Lentils are the quiet heart of the cuisine, comforting, nourishing and endlessly satisfying. They rarely top the order list, and they should. At Saffron Soho our dals are cooked with the same care as everything else, and they belong on every table.

Dall Makhani

If you order one dal, make it this. Dall Makhani is subtly smoky and creamy, the lentils cooked low and slow with butter until they turn rich and velvety, with just a little spice. It is the most indulgent dal there is, and a dish that converts people who thought lentils were dull.

It pairs with almost anything, but it is happiest next to a tandoori grill or a dry, spiced curry, where its richness balances the smoke and heat.

Tarka Dall and Dall Masala

Tarka Dall is the everyday classic: lentils cooked with butter, herbs, fried garlic and aromatic spices, finished with a tempering of sizzling garlic that gives it its name. It is lighter than makhani, fragrant and savoury, the perfect supporting dish.

Dall Masala is thicker and more robust, cooked with medium spice and herbs. Where tarka dall is gentle, this one has a little more body and bite. Both are vegan-friendly and clearly marked.

Why Dal Belongs on Your Table

Dal is the glue of an Indian meal. It adds protein, soaks into rice, and gives the table something soothing to return to between richer or spicier dishes. A meal of grilled meats and hot curries feels complete the moment a dal arrives.

It is also kind on the wallet and on the appetite. A good dal stretches a meal and rounds it out, which is exactly why Indian families lean on it night after night.

How to Eat It

Spoon it over plain or pilau rice, scoop it with naan or roti, or eat it on its own as the gentle centre of a vegetarian spread. Order it alongside a paneer dish and a vegetable curry and you have a vegetarian meal that needs nothing more.

Humble it may be, but dal is one of the truest tastes of Indian cooking, and one of the best things to order here.

Come and Eat With Us

We serve the full menu straight through from midday, late into the night: until midnight, every night.

You will find us at 63 Old Compton Street, W1D 6HT, two minutes from the West End and close to Leicester Square and Tottenham Court Road.

Book a table online or call us on 020 3941 9935.