Thecha Dal, an Indian red lentil dal you know and love, with a spicy, nutty, umami-rich addition! Blistered chili garlic is crushed with peanuts to make chili chutney and tossed into lentil soup to make a flavorful dal!
Table of contents
Thecha is a green chili spice that is often served with many Indian dishes. This green chili chutney from the Indian state of Maharashtra goes best with flatbreads such as bhakri (millet or sorghum flatbread). It is a spicy, nutty mixture of green chilies, garlic and peanuts that is lightly crushed and then ground into a coarse mixture using a mortar and pestle.
We make thecha chutney from scratch. It’s a delicious spicy garlic chili chutney! You can also serve it as a side dish like chutney or add it to sandwiches or your Indian spread.
In this lentil dal, thecha, the roasted green chili, garlic and peanut seasoning is swirled into this dal for a complex flavor and a comforting meal!
Use the lentils of your choice and make double thecha protein that you can later use in sandwiches or on garlic bread!
Why you will love Thecha Dal
- cozy Indian dal with a spicy garlic-chilli-peanut topping
- easy, 30 minute meal
- Naturally soy-free and gluten-free
More vegan dal recipes
Recipe card
Save this recipe to your inbox
Share your email address and we will send you this recipe! Plus, enjoy all the new recipes as they are released!
By submitting this form you agree to receive emails from Vegan Richa.
Print recipe
Thecha Dal – lentil dal with blistered chillies and garlic
Thecha Dal, an Indian red lentil dal you know and love, with a spicy, nutty, umami-rich addition! Blistered chili garlic is crushed with peanuts to make chili chutney and tossed into lentil soup to make a flavorful dal!
Servings: 4
Calories: 248kcal
Ingredients
For the dal:
- 1 Cup (180 G) Split red lentils washed and drained, or other lentils like moong dal lentils, toor dal
- 3 cups (709.76 ml) Water or broth
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon Cayenne or peppers
- ½ to 1 teaspoon Garam masala
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Optional Dal Supplements:
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 to 3 tablespoon chopped coriander
- ½ Cup (118.29 ml) Coconut milk
For the Thecha:
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 6-7 Serrano chilies or Indian long chillies or other green chillies of your choice
- 4 to 5 cloves Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoon unroasted or roasted unsalted peanuts
- generous pinch of salt
instructions
Make the dal.
-
Place the drained lentils and remaining dal ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Partially cover and cook until the lentils are cooked to your liking. 13-17 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. If necessary, add 1/2 cup water or coconut milk to achieve desired consistency and mix in. You can also add the chopped tomatoes and coriander at this point and mix in.
Prepare the thecha while the dal is cooking.
-
Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, increase the heat to medium-high and add the green chilies. Cook until the green chilies are lightly brown and bubbled. Add the garlic and toss for a few seconds. Then add the cumin seeds, toss for a few seconds and add the peanuts. Add a generous pinch of salt, mix thoroughly and turn off the heat.
-
Continue stirring for the next few seconds to cook the garlic and peanuts in the remaining heat of the pan until golden brown.
-
Once the mixture has cooled slightly, place it in a mortar and pestle and then press and mix to crush all the peanuts until you get a coarse mixture. You can also use a small food processor and process until a coarse mixture forms.
Serve the thecha dal.
-
When the dal is ready, turn off the heat, then add a spoonful of thecha on top of the dal and just swirl the thecha into the dal but do not mix it in completely. Garnish with a little coriander and lemon juice and serve with rice, flatbread or roti.
Remarks
For a peanut-free version, use cashews. For a nut-free version, use sunflower seeds instead of peanuts.
Pot cooking time for other lentils. Moong dal lentils take 22-26 minutes. Toor dal, 30 minutes or more. Roast lentils for 40 minutes or longer.
Cooking time in the instant pot: Split red lentils, 3 mins, Moong dal lentils 6 mins, Toor dal, 10 mins. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes and then quickly release
Nutrition
Nutritional Information
Thecha Dal – lentil dal with blistered chillies and garlic
Amount per serving
Calories 248
Calories from fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated fat 2g13%
sodium 327 mg14%
potassium 600 mg17%
carbohydrates 33g11%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 2g2%
protein 14g28%
Vitamin A 427 IU9%
vitamin C 11 mg13%
calcium 47 mg5%
iron 4 mg22%
*Percent Daily Values based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Red lentils – The base for this simple dal.
- Water – For cooking the lentils. For even more flavor you can use broth.
- Ground spices – turmeric, cayenne pepper or paprika, garam masala and salt – season the dal.
- Optional Additions – If you want, you can add a chopped tomato, some coriander and some coconut milk to the dal.
- Thecha – Blistered green chillies and roasted garlic, cumin and peanuts with a little salt form the topping for the dal. You can use serranos or Indian green chilies or any other green chilies of your choice.
- Side dishes – coriander and lemon juice round off the dish.
Tips
- When making the thecha, make sure you cook the chilies properly. The skin should brown and blister before adding the garlic and other thecha ingredients.
- You can use a mortar and pestle or a food processor to grind the thecha into a coarse mixture rather than a paste.
- Do not mix the thecha completely with the dal. Part of the joy of this dish lies in the texture and flavor contrast.
How to make thecha dal
Make the dal first.
Place the drained lentils and remaining dal ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Partially cover and cook until the lentils are cooked to your liking. 13-17 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and flavor.
If necessary, add half a cup of water and mix. You can also add the chopped tomato and coriander at this point and mix in.
Prepare the thecha while the dal is cooking.
Heat a pan over medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, increase the heat to medium-high and add the green chilies.
Cook until the green chilies are lightly brown and bubbled.
Add the garlic and toss for a few seconds. Then add the cumin seeds, toss for a few seconds and add the peanuts. Add a generous pinch of salt, mix thoroughly and turn off the heat.
Continue stirring for the next few seconds to cook the garlic and peanuts until they turn golden brown.
Once the mixture has cooled slightly, place it in a mortar and pestle and then press and mix to crush all the peanuts until you get a coarse mixture. You can also use a small food processor and process until a coarse mixture forms.
When the dal is ready, turn off the heat, then add a spoonful of thecha on top of the dal and just swirl the thecha into the dal but don’t mix it in completely.
Garnish with a little coriander and lemon juice and serve with rice, flatbread or roti.
frequently asked Questions
Thecha is an Indian green chili spice. It’s a spicy, nutty blend of blistered green chiles, roasted garlic, and roasted peanuts, ground into a coarse mixture using a mortar and pestle.
Thecha Dal is naturally soy-free and gluten-free. It contains nuts. To make it without peanuts, use sunflower seeds instead