Urad Dal Lentils made into a batter and baked to make a soft flavorful nutritious bread. Allergen Information: Free of dairy, egg, soy, gluten, nut. Can be made corn-free. Can be made grain-free by omitting the rice flour. Add 1 tsp xanthan gum for lighter bread. Makes 1 medium bread pan (8.5 by 4.5 inch loaf pan)

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 480 minutes
  • Cook time: 60 minutes
  • Total time: 540 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Bread
  • Cuisine: fusion

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups urad dal ((split and skinned black gram- Urad Dal Matpe))
  • 3 tbsp rice flour
  • 3 Tbsp corn starch (or tapioca starch)
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp flaxmeal (or psyllium husk)
  • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp oil

Method

  1. Soak the urad dal overnight. Drain and add to a food processor. Process the dal until it is just slightly gritty. Process for 30 to 45 seconds then move the dal with a spatula. It will take 3 to 4 minutes to break the lentils down into a batter type consistency. Add just a little water (3 to 6 Tablespoons) to help with the processing. Add the rest of the ingredients and process for a minute to combine. Check the batter for aeration. (drop a half tsp of batter in a cup of water. The batter should float on the top). If not aerated well, transfer the thick batter to a bowl and whip with a large spoon a few times, then check again. the batter should be thick and pasty but also slightly bubbly.
  2. Drop batter into parchment lined bread pan. Spray oil on top and even it out using a light hand so the air in the batter is not pressed out.
  3. Preheat the oven to 395 degrees F / 200ºc. Bake for 45 minutes. Cover the bread with another parchment after first 15 to 20 minutes by placing the parchment on the loaf pan. Reduce temperature to 375 degrees F / 190ºc after 45 minutes, remove parchment and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until it sounds hollow when tapped.
  4. Cool completely before slicing. (about an hour). The bread slices more easily the next day. Refrigerate the bread for upto 5 days in an airtight container. The bread crust is crusty the first day and gets softer as it sits because of moisture. Moisture in the storage container after a day is normal. I like to use to bread with chutney toppings or simple sandwiches.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.