I adore Indian food. Trader Joe's does it very well in the frozen section. But when it comes to the pouches found in the pantry aisle that is a different story.
Taste and review
If Trader Joe's does anything well, it's their line of frozen Indian entrees. It doesn't matter what list you look at, but they rank well.
As for their cans and boxes, not so much.
While they have their fans, they don't hold a candle compared to the frozen entrees.
But now there are two pouches of Indian food ready in 60 seconds in the microwave. There is the Vegetable Tikka and this Yellow Tadka Dal. Both products are made in India.
So, for those of you who are newer to Indian cuisine, dal is lentils. Tadka is a process by which these lentils are tempered with oil and spices. The lentils here seemed a touch overcooked.
What you have here are fully cooked lentils in a spicy, yellow, and deeply flavored sauce. While the turmeric lends most of the color here, for me the curry leaves and cumin added the most flavor. This is also mild to medium in heat.
What to serve with this
You'll probably want something to go along with it. Rice, Malabari paratha, or naan make a great pairing. I also added some fresh cilantro after the pictures were taken. I thought it added to the dish.
Make this better at home
The following recipe is vegan, made in the slow cooker, and will run laps around this pouch. It will also work out to be cheaper per serving as well. Check out Picky Eater's Slow Cooker Yellow Dal.
Overall
For $1.99 this is worthy of a try. For me, the spice blend did not do it for me the way that a tikka would. But that is a matter of personal preference.
Would I buy this again? Whether or not you like this will come down to personal preference, but Trader Joe's Indian Fare Yellow Tadka Dal was well spiced, but I prefer their Masala dishes. On a personal level, this is a no. But this is still better than anything I had that came in a box or a can from Trader Joe's. It's just not frozen Indian entree awesomeness.
Product photos
The pouch of Trader Joe's Indian Fare Yellow Tadka Dal:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How to prepare:
After being cooked and placed on a bed of rice:
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Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Indian Fare Yellow Tadka Dal
Product Name: Trader Joe's Indian Fare Yellow Tadka Dal
Product Description: Trader Joe's Indian Fare Yellow Tadka Dal is a quick meal ready in mere moments.
Price: $1.99
Summary
Trader Joe's Indian Fare Yellow Tadka Dal makes for a quick meal there are some drawbacks;
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Trader Joe's Indian Fare Yellow Tadka Dal is new, well-spiced, and different from all the other Indian dishes available at Trader Joe's.
Cons
- While I love the tikka options, this one was just ok.
- This item is not vegan.
- You can make this better at home.
Dag says
I thought this had the potential to not be as good even though I haven't tried the other one I'm pretty sure that that will be the one I prefer also. I have quite a bit of experience in Indian food. It's one of my absolute favorite foods. I was introduced to it by an Indian friend in my very early 20s. I was so disappointed when Trader Joe's got rid of the panner stuffed naan. I really wish they would broaden into stuffed naans again. My favorite restaurant versions are minced chicken, minced spinach/garlic and panner chz & spices. Dipping them into raita is the best!
Do you think adding any additional spices or possibly chicken would liven up the dal?
becomebetty says
I liked fresh chopped cilantro with just about anything Indian. I never got a chance to try the paneer naan! That sounds pretty amazing. The garlic naan is my current favorite. I'm glad you can speak to experience in Indian cuisine. It's still quite new to me. Thanks so much for sharing!
Dag says
Do you think a protein would taste good mixed in with this? My thought was shredded rotisserie chicken.
becomebetty says
Hey Dag! I think that would work. There is plenty of sauce here and the lentils take up some of the space. I think chicken would be a good compliment to the flavors here. Thanks as always for stopping by!
Cathy says
Appears they've done away with my go to Punjab Eggplant, this is a very suitable replacement. Doctored up a bit.. it's pretty darned good.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Cathy!