Whole Urad Dal / Whole Black Lentil

Whole urad dal also known as Saboot urad dal / maa ki dal / kali dal. This dal is made of whole urad  and spices. This dal is different from dal makhani. Dal makhani is made of combination of rajma( kidney beans) and whole urad (lentil), and sometimes chana dal is also used. Makhani means butter, so use of butter and cream makes dal makhani rich and creamy taste. Traditionally, this dal is simmered for hours to get a nice aromatic flavors and taste. Today, I am sharing my easy and an authentic recipe, that is made under an hour.  I like to serve this dal with roti/Indian bread.

WHOLE URAD DAL / WHOLE BLACK LENTIL
Course: Main Course Cuisine: Indian Keyword: whole urad dal, whole black lentil Diet: Vegetarian Method: Instant Pot / Pressure Cooker  Servings:  8 Author: Jyoti Behrani	PRINT
Prep Time 5 min Cook Time 40 min Total Time  45 min
Ingredients: 1 cup Whole Black dal, soaked for minimum of 8 hours or overnight 2 medium size tomato, chopped 1 medium size onion, chopped 2 green chili, chopped (optional) 1 inch ginger, chopped 6 to 8 garlic cloves, crushed 1 tablespoon ghee + 1 tablespoon oil Salt to taste 3 cups water  1 tablespoon butter Fresh coriander chopped Whole spices: 1 tablespoon cumin seeds 1 bay leaf Pinch of hing or asafoetida Dry Spices: ½ tablespoon red chili powder (optional) ½ tablespoon coriander powder ½ tablespoon garam masala powder 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions for Instant Pot Cooking: Step 1: Rinse dal couple of times and soak it in 4 cups of water for 8 hours or overnight. Step 2: Turn on saute mode, add ghee + oil, cumin seeds, asafoetida, bay leaf. Saute for a min. Step 3: Add onion, ½ teaspoon salt, ginger, garlic, saute till raw smell of garlic is no more, 2 to 3 min. Step 4: Add tomato, green chili (optional), dry spices, saute till tomato are soft, 2 to 3 min. Step 5: Add the drained and rinsed dal, water, salt to taste, switch to multigrain mode for 12 min. Step 6: Let pressure release naturally, around 10 min. After 10 min, switch to saute mode, check the consistency of dal, add water if required, and cook for another 3-5 min. Add butter, lime juice, cilantro. The consistency of this dal is quite thick, similar to Dal Makhani. Serve hot with rice or roti. Instructions for Pressure Cooker Cooking: Step 1: Rinse dal couple of times and soak it in 4 cups of water for 8 hours or overnight. Step 2: On a medium to high heat, in a pressure cooker, add ghee + oil, cumin seeds, asafoetida, bay leaf. Saute for a min. Step 3: Add onion, ½ teaspoon salt, ginger, garlic, saute till raw smell of garlic is no more, 2 to 3 min. Step 4: Add tomato, green chili (optional), dry spices, saute till tomato are soft, 2 to 3 min. Step 5: Add the drained and rinsed dal, water, salt to taste,close the pressure cooker, after the first whistle, lower the heat to low and cook for 12 min. Step 6: Let pressure release naturally, around 10 min. After 10 min. Turn on stove to high heat, check the consistency of dal, add water if required, and cook for another 3-5 min. Add butter (optional), lime juice, cilantro. The consistency of this dal is quite thick, similar to Dal Makhani. Serve hot with rice or roti.
Note(s): Consistency of the dal can be adjusted as per taste. To make it thin you may add more water. Spice level can be adjusted as per taste. Adding a small amount of butter, gives this dal a rich taste. I prefer to soak the lentils overnight for best results. But you can also soak the lentils in hot water, covered for a minimum of 45-60 min. And use it in the recipe. This will work just fine.