Dal Thali with Aloo Gobi and Cucumber Raita
A home made thali plate of warm dal, spiced potato and cauliflower, cooling raita and rice.
Made with Tarka dal base and Ginger and garlic paste. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time1 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.94 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Rinse the rice and cook following the pack. Keep covered.
12 min - 2
Heat the oil in a wide pan. Fry the cumin for 30 seconds, then add your ready made ginger garlic paste (see the base recipe) and the turmeric and coriander. Fry for 1 minute.
1 min 30 s - 3
Add the potatoes and 100 ml water. Cover and cook for 8 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook, covered, for 10 minutes more until both are tender. Season with salt.
18 min - 4
Warm your ready made tarka dal base (see the base recipe) with a splash of water until steaming hot all the way through.
- 5
Squeeze the cucumber dry and stir into the yoghurt with a pinch of salt for the raita.
- 6
Serve the rice, dal, aloo gobi and raita together on plates, with coriander on top.
Tips
- Cut potato and cauliflower to a similar size so they cook together.
- Squeeze the cucumber well so the raita stays thick.
- Serve with a lime wedge and a papad for a fuller thali.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 1 hour. Keep the curry and dal for up to 3 days in the fridge, but eat rice within 24 hours. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I make it vegan?
Yes. Swap the yoghurt for coconut yoghurt in the raita.
What is a thali?
A thali is a plate of several small dishes served together, usually with rice or bread.
Can I add more dishes?
Yes. A simple stir fried green vegetable or a spoon of mango chutney works well.
More made with tarka dal base
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.