Urad Dal Recipe (Dry White Urad Dal)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil – any neutral oil
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 cup urad dal (husked and split black gram)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 or 2 green chilies
• ⅛ teaspoon red chili powder or 2 to 3 pinches
• ¼ cup water or as required
• salt as required
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped

Steps

Soaking Lentils

1. Rinse the urad dal a few times in water, then soak in enough water for 4 hours. Soaking is very important: unsoaked dal can become mushy and pasty while cooking.
2. After 4 hours, drain away all the water. Rinse the soaked lentils very well with fresh water, drain, and set them aside.

Making urad dal

1. Heat oil in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. With the heat kept low, put in 1 pinch asafoetida and mix well. Make sure the asafoetida does not burn.
2. Put in the urad dal and mix thoroughly again.
3. Follow with the turmeric powder, chopped or slit green chilies, and red chili powder.
4. Mix thoroughly once more, then season with salt to taste.
5. Mix in ¼ cup water.
6. Pressure-cook over low to medium-low heat, or sim, for about 7 minutes or 2 whistles.
7. Wait for the pressure to settle naturally before opening the cooker and checking the lentils. They should be well cooked yet separate. If the lentils are not yet cooked, add some more water and pressure-cook for 1 whistle more.
8. When the lentils are well cooked, mix in ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder.
9. Accompany the dry urad dal with roti or phulka and garnish with some coriander leaves.
10. As you eat, give the urad dal a squeeze of lemon juice.