A Beginner's Guide to Indian Food

Some (not all) Indians are vegetarians, and dal is a popular dish for those that opt not to eat meat. "Dal tadka is a yellow lentil soup with ginger and garlic, again usually served with rice or naan," says Chauhan. Tadka is actually a way of cooking the spices that get added at the last minute for the flavor punch. It just means that they're tempered and fried in oil to release the aromas (kind of like toasting nuts).

Get the recipe: dal tadka