Urad Dal – creamy split black gram

When we discussed the phrase “roti khaayi hai?” on episode one of the podcast, what was implied in it was the fact that a meal in northern india is usually dal-roti-sabzi. A trio of lentils, a vegetable (usually something seasonal) and freshly made flatbreads such as chapati or paratha. This recipe is for one amongst a variety of lentils cooked on a regular basis in homes. Urad dal made with urad chhilka i.e. split, unhusked lentils can be as soupy or creamy as the cook chooses. That is the beauty of all dals – adaptable, customizable and used across the board!

Urad dal- spanning the continent from vadas, dosas to dal makhani

As the history of lentils goes, it is hard to say for sure whence they came. Usage is common across a wide geography. Urad seems to be the exception. There is consensus on it being a truly subcontinental bean. Called Vigna Mungo, authors such as K T Achaya have found sources citing its use in ancient India. While restaurants have popularized Dal Makhni, a hearty preparation of Mahn di Daal is commonly cooked in Punjab using a combination of whole urad, rajma and split bengal gram. The split unhusked dal, or urad chhilka finds use in Dhaba style mixed dal as well as Panchmel dal – made commonly in Rajasthan. The split, husked version called dhuli urad (literally, washed urad) is used in dosa batter, vada batter and for making dahi bhalle.

From the katori in your thali to cementing bricks!

This might come as a surprise to you and you wouldn’t be alone to learn that urad dal was a common ingredient in lime concreting. Lime mortar was used in the Indian subcontinent to plaster all kinds of buildings. So common and integral was it a component in construction that the Golden Temple in Amritsar, also called Harmandir Sahib, and buildings all around it used a mortar that included urad dal. A fact I first encountered while walking those lanes with a cousin many year ago and confirmed by more recent reading. Sangeeta Bais wrote a great piece in Dronah’s 2015 issue on traditional building materials which sheds more light on organic ingredients used in lime mortars. Gur/jaggery finds mention too! In recent years the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has been repairing monuments using recipes of lime mortars with organic matters. Read more here and here.

Ingredients for Split Urad Dal – Creamy Black Lentils

Serves: 4 to 6 people

Total time: 45 minutes

You’ll need: a pressure cooker or instant pot or stock pot.

• Urad Chhilka/Split Unhusked Black Gram ~ 1/3 cup
• Pyaaz/Onion ~ 1/2, chopped
• Tamatar/Tomato ~ 1/2, chopped
• Hari Mirch/ Green Chillies ~ 2, chopped
• Lehsun/Garlic ~ 3 to 4 cloves, smashed, peeled and chopped
• Adrak/Ginger ~ 1 inch piece, chopped (peeling is optional)
• Tel/Oil ~ 2 tbsp
• Heeng/Asafetida ~ 1 tsp
• Jeera/Cumin ~ 1 tsp
• Haldi/Turmeric powder ~ 1/2 tsp
• Dhania/Coriander powder ~ 1 tsp
• Laal Mirch/Red Chili powder ~ 1/2 tsp
• Kaali Mirch/ Black Pepper ~ a few cracks
• Garam Masala ~ 1/2 tsp
• Namak/Salt to taste
• Water for pressure cooking dal
• Hara Dhania/ Fresh Coriander (cilantro) for garnish

Let’s Begin:

(Scroll down for Instant Pot Instructions)

First, measure dal in a bowl. Wash it thrice or until water runs clear. Soak in almost twice as much water as dal while you prep other ingredients.

Clean and chop onion, tomato, ginger, garlic and green chillies.

Then, heat a pressure cooker on medium high heat. Add oil to it once warm. I check by hovering my hand above the mouth of the cooker at a safe distance from any of its surfaces. To the oil add in this order, asafetida, cumin, garlic, ginger and chillies. Sauté until fragrant and ginger and garlic are starting to brown. Then add onion and tomato. Cook until onion is translucent and tomatoes are starting to soften. Then spice this tadka. At this time add salt, turmeric, red chili and coriander powder. Mix well and sauté for another minute or two until the spices are blooming.

Tadka first or later, choice is yours

Once the tadka is ready, its time to steam the dal.

So at this point it’s worth pointing out that typically when people cook dal, of any kind, they steam the lentils first. Then make a tadka which is essentially the masala that will flavor this dish in a separate pan or kadhai. And in the final step combine the two. This is the ideal time to adjust the dal’s consistency by either adding more water if it’s thickened while pressure cooking or thicken it by evaporating the extra moisture. It is thus simmered covered or open until ready to serve.

Tadka first + dal in a pressure cooker = a shorter route to a delicious dal!

Ever since I begun cooking for myself and my husband in our tiny kitchen in New Jersey, I’ve chosen to adopt the tadka first method where the tadka is made in the pressure cooker and then dal is steamed along with it. This removes one extra pan from the dish pile in the sink and makes it a one pot dish.

To steam dal

Once the tadka is ready add all the soaking dal in the pressure cooker and add more water such that dal is under an inch of water. Close the lid and pressure cook for at least 20 minutes. If the lid has a whistle weight, then you can gauge cooking time thus: cook on high heat until the whistle sounds twice, then lower the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes or so. Turn off the heat and let steam escape naturally.

Open, simmer a little more and, garnish Urad Dal before serving

Open the lid with care and only when steam has completely escaped and the safety valve has dropped. Mix the dal and check for consistency. I like it neither too thick nor too soupy. Simmer for a few minutes with fresh coriander and add a few pinches, up to half a teaspoon, of garam masala as well as a few cracks of black pepper. Then finally garnish with more chopped coriander when serving.

Enjoy creamy urad dal with sabzi and phulka

I served urad dal with mooli ki sabzi which is made by stir frying mooli and chukandar leaves along with freshly made whole wheat chapati/phulka, cut mooli and homemade plain yogurt.

Instant Pot Instructions:

Make tadka in the Instant Pot

Turn on the Instant Pot to the Sauté mode on high for 10 minutes. Add oil to it followed by asafetida, cumin, garlic, ginger and chillies. Sauté until fragrant. Add onion and tomato; continue cooking until onion is translucent and tomato is starting to soften. Then add spices – salt, turmeric, red chili and coriander powder. Mix well and continue to cook until the tadka is mushy and the Sauté mode ends.

Add lentils and pressure cook

Add the dal along with all the soaking water and some extra so that it is under at least one inch of water. Close the instant pot lid with the vent “sealed” and select “Pressure Cook” on high for 12 minutes.

Releasing pressure from the Instant Pot 

At the end of the pressure cooking, turn off the instant pot. You can either allow steam to escape naturally or quick release by turning the vent to “venting”. Place a kitchen towel over the vent and make sure you keep your hand away from the steam. 

Simmer and thicken Urad Dal

Open the lid and stir dal. Check consistency of the lentils. If watery, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until thickened enough on saute mode. If too thick, add water and mix it in. Add chopped coriander and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in some garam masala and a few cracks of black pepper. Garnish with fresh coriander before serving.

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