maa ki dal | kali dal | black gram dal | sabut urad dal

Maa ki dal recipe with step by step photos – at home all my folks are fond of black lentils (black gram) or Punjabi kali dal recipe.

In Punjabi these are called Mah di dal or maa di dal or manh di daal. At home everybody called whole black lentils as maa di dal.

Maa ki dal is also known as kali dal, but it is not dal makhani. So let me tell you what is the difference between maa ki dal and dal makhani.

Maa ki dal or kali dal Is made from whole black grams (black dal) or sabut urad dal only. There are many ways of making this black gram dal recipe. It can be spicy or bland as well. It is also not a very rich and heavy dish as no extra cream, butter is added to it.

Whereas Dal makhani is made from a mix of whole black grams, kidney beans (rajma), and some times chana dal. It is a rich dish as it is made with butter, cream and sometimes yogurt too. It is a makhani dish.

Makhani means buttery. the word makhani is derived from the Punjabi word Makhan which means Butter. so dal makhani is a buttery creamy rich dish.

So kali dal Or maa ki dal is not dal makhani. They are two different dishes. Just to let you know There is another Punjabi dish called maa chole di dal – this is made from black lentils and chana dal. It is a staple at my home.

Usually, at home I cook Dal fry, Dal tadka, various sabjis, pulao, khichdi, idlis, dosa, sambar. For me these are simple, comforting foods.

This recipe of kali dal is a light recipe with a spicy touch to it. I have made this with sunflower oil and no butter or ghee. But you can make it with butter or ghee. You could also add some cream in the end if you prefer.

The main ingredients of this star dish is onion, green chilies, tomato puree and crushed ginger-garlic sauteed (bhunaoed) with Indian spices.

Generally maa ki daal is cooked and simmered in a pot. In a modern day life we don’t have the luxury and leisure to let our dals cook in pots. The black lentils take a lot of time to cook in a pot. I have cooked the dal in a pressure cooker. It is a quick cooking method and what might take hours, just gets over in 30-40 minutes.

Maa ki dal goes very well with rotis, naan and even rice. So if you are fond of Punjabi dishes, then do try this awesome kaali dal recipe. You and your family are going to love it. You don’t have to trust me. You have to make this at home and relish the maa di dal.

How to make black gram dal or maa ki dal

1: Pick the sabut urad dal (black gram), rinse in water for 2-3 times and soak it in water for about 30 to 40 minutes. The soaking time can vary depending on the quality & age of the lentils. Sometimes even after soaking for an hour or so, these old lentils take a lot of time to cook.

So you can soak sabut urad dal overnight or for some 4 to 5 hours. So if using old lentils or lentils near expiry date, soak them overnight. Later, drain the soaked dal.

2: Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pressure cooker. Instead of ghee you can also use oil or butter.

Add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. When they sizzle, add 1 medium sized chopped onion.

3: Stirring at regular intervals, fry the onions till light brown or golden.

4: Now add the pureed tomatoes and mix well.

5: Add the crushed ginger-garlic or ginger-garlic paste.

6: Add all the dry spice powders. In this below photo I have added following spices one by one:

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder

7: Stir the spice powders and mix well.

8: Then add 1 finely chopped green chili.

9: Saute the masala till the oil starts to leave.

10: Add the drained and soaked sabut urad dal (black gram).

11: Add water and salt as required. Stir well.

Cover the pressure cooker with its lid and pressure cook the dal for some 20-25 minutes till its soft. Once opened let it simmer… Mash some dal with the spoon whiles its simmering. This helps to thicken the consistency of the dal.

Cook till you get a creamy consistency. I kept the maa ki dal a little thin as we prefer thin dals in summer. You can keep the consistency as per your preference.

Garnish it with coriander leaves and Serve maa ki dal hot with naan, kulcha, rotis or plain paratha. You can also have it with steamed basmati rice.

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