Make North Indian style White Urad Dal (Dhuli Urad Dal) using my easy recipe and serve it for everyday Indian-style meals. You can make this recipe in a traditional pressure cooker or in an instant pot (vegetarian).
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About Urad Dal
Urad Dal is called split black lentils in English. It can be with the skin (black urad dal) or without the skin (white urad dal).
This lentil is made for everyday meals in India and every house has a different way of making it.
In this post, I am sharing a North Indian style white urad dal recipe I have been making for years. You can cook the lentils in a traditional stovetop pressure cooker or in an instant pot.
I made this recipe in my 3-quart instant pot (or a 3-liter traditional pressure cooker). If you want to scale it up, then use a larger-size instant pot or stovetop cooker. The time of cooking will remain the same.
My recipe to make this dal can be easily adapted and made vegan or gluten-free.
Here are some more everyday dal recipes, that you can make for your meals
- North Indian Style Toor Dal
- Sultani Dal
- Dal Palak
- Dhaba Style Punjabi Dal Tadka
- Raw Mango Dal
- Gujarati Dal
- Cholar Dal
- Whole Masoor Dal
Ingredients
To Cook The Dal
White Urad Dal – Also known as dhuli urad dal or split and skinned black lentils, white urad dal is easily available in any Indian grocery store or on online portals like Amazon.
Read more about this lentil here.
Others – You will need turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and fresh ginger to cook the dal.
For The Tempering
Ghee – Always temper the dal in ghee for the best flavor. I you want to make it vegan, replace ghee with coconut oil.
Others – You will also need asafetida (hing), cumin seeds, dry red chilies, onions, Kashmiri red chili powder, lime juice, and cilantro (fresh coriander leaves).
Skip adding asafetida for a gluten-free recipe.
How To Make White Urad Dal
Cook The Dal
In An Instant Pot
Rinse 1 cup of white urad dal with water and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 30 minutes.
Note – Soaking the dal not only reduces the cooking time but also makes the dal easily digestible.
Drain the water and add the dal to an instant pot.
Add
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 4 cups of water
Stir to combine.
Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 12 minutes at high pressure.
Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually by moving the valve to the venting position.
Open the lid.
Mash the dal using the back of a ladle.
Add some more water if the dal is too thick for your liking. Check for salt and add more if needed.
In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
Follow the recipe until adding all the ingredients to a pressure cooker.
Close the lid of the cooker.
Pressure cook in high heat for 1 whistle.
Reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes.
Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally.
Open the lid.
Mash the dal using the back of a ladle.
Add some more water if the dal is too thick for your liking. Check for salt and add more if needed.
Temper The Dal
Heat 3 tablespoon ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat.
Once the ghee is hot, add ¼ teaspoon asafetida and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
Add 2-3 dry red chilies and ½ cup chopped onions and cook until onions turn golden brown, stirring frequently.
Add 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder and immediately add the tadka to the cooked dal.
Add 1 tablespoon lime juice and mix well.
Garnish the dal with 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Serving Suggestions
Urad dal is made for everyday Indian-style meals. It is best served piping hot with Phulka, any Dry Sabji, and Raita.
You can also serve it with my Instant Pot Basmati Rice or Jeera Rice.
Storage Suggestions
Store the leftover dal in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
Reheat in a pan or microwave until nicely hot. Add some water if the dal has thickened after refrigeration.
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Recipe Card
North Indian Style White Urad Dal Recipe (Dhuli Urad Dal)
Ingredients
To Cook The Dal
- 1 cup white urad dal (split and skinned black lentils)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
For The Tempering
- 3 tablespoons ghee
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- ½ cup chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
Instructions
Cook The Dal
In An Instant Pot
- Rinse the dal with water and soak it in 3-4 cups of water for 30 minutes.
- Note – Soaking the dal not only reduces the cooking time but also makes the dal easily digestible.
- Drain the water and add the dal to an instant pot.
- Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt, and grated ginger along with 4 cups of water. Stir to combine.
- Close the lid of the instant pot and set the valve to the sealing position.
- Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 12 minutes at high pressure.
- Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Release the remaining pressure manually by moving the valve to the venting position.
- Open the lid.
- Mash the dal using the back of a ladle.
- Add some more water if the dal is too thick for your liking. Check for salt and add more if needed.
In A Stovetop Pressure Cooker
- Follow the recipe until adding all the ingredients to a pressure cooker.
- Close the lid of the cooker.
- Pressure cook in high heat for 1 whistle.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for 12 minutes.
- Remove the cooker from heat and let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid.
- Mash the dal using the back of a ladle.
- Add some more water if the dal is too thick for your liking. Check for salt and add more if needed.
Temper The Dal
- Heat ghee in a small pan over medium-high heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add asafetida and cumin seeds and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Add dry red chillies, and chopped onions and cook until onions turn golden brown, stirring frequently.
- Add Kashmiri red chili powder and immediately add the tadka to the cooked dal.
- Add lime juice and mix well.
- Garnish the dal with chopped cilantro and serve hot.
Priyanka @Flavor Quotient
I was looking for a simple urad dal recipe and this turned out to be so perfect! Your photos had already tempted me and the recipe is great! Thanks for sharing!
Neha Mathur
Thanks a lot for trying 🙂
kanika
Beautiful pictures and the dal looks so yummy!
I recently made a sookhi urad with palak. The recipe is on our blog called Kitchenpostcards. Please drop by and leave your feedback. Thanks!
Neha Mathur
Thnx. Will check it out 🙂
geet
Hello! i really liked your post. Please share some more.