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Urad Dal
Serves 4
25 mins
210 Kcal
In the recipe for Urad Dal Tadka, first soak the urad dal for a soft, creamy consistency and accelerate cooking. Add water, turmeric, and salt after soaking, then pressure cook until dal becomes tender. Meanwhile, in a pan, saut onions, tomatoes, ginger-garlic paste, and masala mix to make an aromatic masala. Then, mix it well with the cooked dal so that all flavours are harmonious. It is sweet, with a strong, earthy flavour and a creamy texture. This form of urad dal or split black gram forms the basis of this delightful and soothing North Indian meal called Urad Dal Tadka. The magic behind this recipe lies in the "tadka", or tempering, that gives this dal a burst of flavour with a punch of spices. A very common recipe across Indian families, urad dal tadka is a filling and healthy dish that is best served with steaming rice or chapati. But in this recipe of Urad Dal Tadka, the ultimate tempering or tadka gives the meal its peculiar flavour. Add a mixture of ghee or oil in a separate pan and add cumin seeds, dry red chillies, and a small tsp full of asafoetida in. And pouring this sizzling hot tadka over the dal provides a luxurious, aromatic explosion to the meal. This meal is best savored hot and is served sprinkled with fresh coriander leaves. This Urad Dal recipe is mouthwatering and very easy to make so that it can be a good choice for dinner. Rich in protein and slightly warm with Indian spices, this dish is perfect for daily meals and special occasions. Tadka urad dal is fulfilling and cosy with roti or rice.
Ingredients required for Urad Dal
- 200 gms urad dal
- 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tomato
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp garam masala
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp ghee
Cooking steps for Urad Dal
- 1Clean 200 gms of urad dal in running water first; it helps clean the dust and other impurities. Then, soak the dal in water for at least half an hour. This soaking method makes the dal cook through a lot faster and uniformly.
- 2Now, it is time to cook the dal after soaking. Add one litre of water to the pressure cooker of the soaked urad dal. Mix in 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder and salt to taste for flavour and colour enhancement. Turmeric is not only good for health, but it also gives a nice golden colour to the dal.
- 3Cover and cook the dal on a medium flame for three to four whistles. Remove and open the lid. The dal must be tender and should be well cooked.
- 4While the dal is cooking, prepare the delicious tempering. First, heat two tbsp of oil or ghee in a pan on medium heat. You can also replace clarified butter or ghee with a lighter oil if required.
- 5Now add to the hot ghee 1 tsp cumin seeds. Let them sputter and release that nutty aroma. When these crackle, cumin seeds will turn brown and release a fragrant aroma.
- 6Add one tsp of ginger-garlic paste to the pan when the onions turn golden in colour. Saut for about a minute until the raw smell of ginger and garlic vanishes, and their flavours mingle with the flavour of onions.
- 7Add one diced tomato now and simmer till it gets mushy and soft. The tomatoes add acidity and sweetness that balance the richness of the dal.
- 8Add 1/4 tsp of garam masala, 1/2 tsp of coriander powder, and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder to the saut ed tomato-onion mixture.
- 9Mix the spices well and saut for about two minutes. This step is very important as it helps release the flavours and gets rid of the rawness of the spices.
- 10Add the cooked urad dal, tomato, and onion mixture into the pan and mix well.
- 11Add everything together and stir to combine. If the dal is too thick, add more water at this stage for desired consistency. Let it simmer and reduce a little longer if you want your dal to be thicker; otherwise, vice versa; if you like it more soup-like in consistency, till the desired thickness is reached, add water little by little.
- 12Let the flavours blend together in the dal by simmering it on low heat for five to seven minutes.
- 13Stir occasionally to prevent the dal from burning onto the bottom of the pan.
- 14Meanwhile, the dal cooks prepare the tadka, which makes this meal stand out in terms of flavour.
- 15Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a small pan. Add half a tsp of cumin seeds to it and let them sizzle after heating.
- 16Add two to three dry red chillies followed by a pinch of asafoetida. Be careful not to burn the chillies and saut for a few seconds till they slightly change colour.
- 17This finally provides a dal with a burst of taste.
- 18Stir well when adding hot tempering to the boiling dal; sprinkle a few freshly chopped coriander leaves on top.
- 19This recipe of Urad dal tadka can be relished with roti, naan, or steamed basmati rice.