Urad Dal Recipe

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Urad dal recipe with step by step photos. Sharing a delicious Punjabi recipe of dry urad dal which makes for an excellent protein rich dish with rotis or phulkas. If it has become too monotonous for you to have your lentils or dals in a stewy or curryish way, then you must try this Sukhi Urad Dal recipe. A vegan recipe.

urad dal recipe served in a blue rimmed white bowl placed on a white plate, onion slices and lemon wedges kept on right side on the plate, parathas and text layovers.

In North Indian cuisine, there are some dry dishes made with lentils and legumes. Most of these dry lentil dishes are made without adding onion and garlic. There are many variations and lentils-legumes like urad dal, rajma (kidney beans), chana (white and black chickpeas), chana dal, lobia (black eyed beans) are used.

I am sharing my mom-in-laws recipe to make this dry urad dal. This recipe is very simple and uses all your basic spices. There’s just asafoetida, red chili powder, turmeric powder and garam masala powder in it. The quantity of green chilies can be more or less, depending on how spicy you like your food to be.

We usually have this sukhi urad dal with chapatis and accompany lemon and a few slices of onion with it. Even though onion and garlic is not added in the dish, we do pair it with onion slices while serving. Though you can skip onion while serving.

This urad dal can be served as a side dish with rotis. You can even pack dry urad dal in tiffin box.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Urad Dal Recipe

1. Rinse 1 cup urad dal a few times in fresh water. Then soak urad dal in enough water for 4 hours.

Soaking urad dal is very important in this recipe. Otherwise while cooking the urad dal if not soaked, can get mushy and pasty. Soaking the urad dal also reduces the cooking time.

urad dal to make dry urad dal recipe

2. After 4 hours, drain all the water. Rinse the urad dal very well in fresh water. Drain the water and keep the urad dal aside.

urad dal to make dry urad dal recipe

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Keep the heat to a low and then add 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing). Mix well. Do make sure that the asafoetida does not get burnt.

making sukhi urad dal recipe

4. Next add the urad dal. Mix well.

urad dal to make dry urad dal recipe

5. Now add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 or 2 green chilies (chopped or slit) and ⅛ teaspoon red chili powder.

I have added both green chilies and red chili powder, but you can use either green chilies or red chili powder. If using only red chili powder, then you can add ½ teaspoon of it.

making dry urad dal recipe

6. Mix again very well.

making dry urad dal recipe

7. Season with salt according to taste.

making dry urad dal recipe

8. Add ¼ cup water.

making dry urad dal recipe

9. Stir and mix again.

making sukhi urad dal recipe

10. Pressure cook the urad dal on a low to medium-low flame or sim for about 7 minutes or 2 whistles.

making sukhi urad dal recipe

11. Once the pressure settles down, then only open the lid of the cooker and check the urad dal. The urad dal should be cooked well and yet separate.

If the urad dal is not cooked, then add some more water and pressure cook for 1 whistle more.

making sukhi urad dal recipe

12. Add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder. Mix again.

sukhi urad dal recipe

Serve sukhi urad dal hot or warm with rotis or phulkas. While serving we usually garnish with chopped coriander leaves, but I did not have coriander leaves. Also do squeeze some lemon juice on top while having the urad dal.

sukhi urad dal recipe

If you are looking for more Urad Dal recipes then do check:

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dry urad dal recipe

Urad Dal Recipe

This is a delicious Punjabi recipe of dry urad dal which makes for an excellent protein rich dish with rotis or phulkas.
5 from 4 votes
Prep Time 4 hours
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 10 minutes
Cuisine North Indian, Punjabi
Course Side Dish
Diet Vegan
Difficulty Level Easy
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)
  • 1 cup urad dal (husked and split black gram)
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 or 2 green chilies
  • teaspoon red chili powder or 2 to 3 pinches
  • ¼ cup water
  • salt as required
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • some chopped coriander leaves,

Instructions
 

soaking urad dal:

  • Rinse 1 cup urad dal a few times in water. Then soak urad dal in enough water for 4 hours. Soaking urad dal is very important in this recipe. Otherwise while cooking the urad dal if not soaked, can get mushy and pasty.
  • After 4 hours, drain all the water. Rinse the urad dal very well in fresh water. Drain and keep the urad dal aside.

making urad dal:

  • Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 2 litre pressure cooker. Keep the flame to a low and then add 1 pinch of asafoetida. Mix well. Do make sure that the asafoetida does not get burnt.
  • Next add the urad dal. Mix well.
  • Now add ½ tsp turmeric powder, 1 or 2 green chilies (chopped or slit) and ⅛ teaspoon red chili powder. 
  • Mix again very well. season with salt.
  • Add ¼ cup water. mix again.
  • Pressure cook the urad dal on a low to medium-low flame or sim for about 7 minutes or 2 whistles.
  • Once the pressure settles down, open the lid and check the urad dal. The urad dal should be cooked well and yet separate. If the urad dal is not cooked, then add some more water and pressure cook for 1 whistle more.
  • Add ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder. Mix again.
  • Serve sukhi urad dal with rotis or phulkas. Garnish with some coriander leaves. 
  • Also do squeeze some lemon juice on top while having dry urad dal.

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Urad Dal Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 301 Calories from Fat 90
% Daily Value*
Fat 10g15%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 544mg24%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 15g63%
Sugar 2g2%
Protein 16g32%
Vitamin A 25IU1%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Vitamin E 4mg27%
Vitamin K 1µg1%
Calcium 40mg4%
Iron 5mg28%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This Urad Dal Recipe post from the archives first published in June 2017 has been republished and updated on January 2023.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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8 Comments

  1. Hi. I don’t think my comment got posted here 🙁 I wanted to check if I can make this with moong dal instead? Thanks 🙂

  2. Hi. I wanted to know if I could make this recipe with moong dal. Really feel like having it but just realised I don’t have urad at home ????

    1. deepika, you can make the same recipe with moong dal too. with moong dal you have to be careful as not to cook it too much.

  3. Hi Dassana ,

    This is a comment on a recently posted restaurant style mutter paneer with cashews. I tried it and it came out really well, no surprises there.:))What is surprising is I am not able to locate in now. Could you pls send me the link.