Sabut Urad Dal (Black Dal) – Creamy Punjabi Style Recipe

This Sabut urad dal is a comforting one-pot Punjabi dish made with whole black lentils, onions, tomatoes, and aromatic spices. Slow-cooked until soft and naturally creamy, this dal has a rich, earthy flavor that makes it a favorite in many Indian homes. It pairs perfectly with basmati rice, chapati, or naan, making it an ideal lunch and dinner option.

What is sabut urad dal?

Urad dal, also known as Kali Dal, is the most popular and loved lentil in India. It’s the staple in many North Indian households. This dal is cooked with onions, tomatoes, and everyday spices, making it a simple one-pot dish that is both comforting and delicious.

There are many other lentils to prepare, like chana dal, masoor dal, and toor dal. All dals are packed with protein and flavor. But this black dal with its soft & creamy texture gives you another vibe. One of the main reasons is that we personally grow black lentils in our farm every year. I feel homegrown lentils are better than market ones.

This dal is one of my favorite lentils at home. Every family member is a big fan of it. If there is one thing we never get bored with eating, i.e. urad dal. It is prepared 2 to 3 times a week in my home, and everyone enjoys it with their happy heart. Serving this black dal with rice or hot chappatis makes this dish a star!

Sabut urad dal requires soaking before cooking. I recommend soaking it overnight, as this helps the lentils soften properly and reduces the cooking time. If you forget to soak it in advance, you can soak the dal in hot water for abput one hour- this also soften the lentils and speeds up the cooking process.

Ingredients

• Black lentils- For this recipe, I used sabut urad. There are other types of urad dal, such as chilka dal (split with skin) and dhuli dal (with no skin). But you need sabut urad (black dal) for this recipe.

• Onion-I used one medium chopped onion.

• Tomatoes- I grind two medium tomatoes for this recipe. You can also add grated or chopped tomatoes as you like.

• Ginger- I make a spoonful of ginger paste with a mortar. You can grind it with tomatoes, too.

• Spices- I use turmeric powder, asafoetida, and garam masala powder. They are enough to make it delicious.

• Herbs- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, which gives a good aroma to the dal. If you don’t like, skip it.

• Oil- I use mustard oil for this dal. You can use ghee instead of oil.

How to make Sabut Urad Dal

Soaking

Take 1 cup of black dal in a bowl and wash twice or thrice in clear water. Soak in enough water overnight before cooking. Soaking makes dal smoother and easier to digest. Drain the water when you are ready to cook. After draining the water, your dal looks like this.

Cooking

1. Take a pressure cooker and place it on a stovetop on medium heat. Heat 1 tbsp oil with 1 tsp cumin seeds. Let them sizzle for a few seconds.

2. Add chopped onion and saute it until it has a golden texture.

3. When the onions are golden, add tomato puree, ginger paste, or chopped green chilies.

4. Sauté them till they are soft or mushy.

5. Add soaked urad dal.

6. Seasoning spices: 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp of asafoetida, and 1 tsp of salt. Along with them, pour 3 cups of water.

7. Mix all the ingredients well and close the cooker lid. Keep the flame high.

8. Pressure cook for 4 whistles on high heat, then turn the flame low and simmer for 10 minutes. After that, turn off the heat.

9. When the pressure releases naturally, you see the lentils have cooked. If they hard pressure cook again for 2 whistles. Here you can mash dal with a masher for a creamy texture.

10. Turn on the gas and simmer it for 5 minutes. Now add 1/4 tsp garam masala powder and 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. You can add more water here if needed.

11. Mix them well and turn off the gas, and the sabut urad dal is ready to serve.

Serving & Storage Tips

Serve this sabut urad dal hot with roti, steamed basmati rice, jeera rice, or naan to make it a full meal for lunch and dinner.

You can refrigerate it for up to 2 days. Reheat it by adding a little water. But it tastes better when prepared fresh.

Pro Tips

• Soak the lentils overnight before cooking. This helps them to cook fast. If forgot soak in hot water for an hour.

• After pressure cook slightly mash some dal for a creamy texture.

• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves at the end.

• Adjust water for desired consistency. 3 cups of water are ideal to get a perfect consistency.

• Add butter as a topping on it if you need a rich & creamy texture.

FAQs

If you enjoy this sabut urad dal, you may also like:

• Rajma Masala

• Punjabi Chole

• Kadhi Pakora

• Matar Paneer