5 from 100 votes
Kali Dal | Punjabi Black Dal (Maa Ki Dal)
Kali Dal, or Punjabi Black Dal, uses whole black lentils cooked with a blend of spices, tomatoes, ginger, garlic, and onions, creating a deeply flavored and hearty lentil stew. The recipe includes soaking the dal to reduce cooking time and slow frying the aromatics and spices to develop a rich base. The final dish has a robust, spiced character often garnished with fresh coriander.
Prep Time
35 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings:
4
Calories:
211 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
- 1 cup black lentils sabut urad dal or black gram, whole
- 1 onion chopped or ⅓ cup chopped onions, medium
- 2 tomato pureed - yields approx 1 cup tomato puree, medium
- 2 to 3 garlic small to medium - crushed in a mortar-pestle, cloves
- 1 inch ginger - crushed in a mortar-pestle
- 1 green chili - finely chopped or ½ to 1 teaspoon chopped green chillies
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper or paprika)
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 2 tablespoons neutral cooking oil or ghee or butter, generic cooking oil
- 3 to 3.5 cups water or add as required
- salt as required
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves for garnishing, optional
Instructions
Soaking Lentils
- Pick the sabut urad dal and rinse in water for 2 to 3 times and soak it in water for 30 to 40 minutes. You can also soak the lentils for 4 to 5 hours or overnight, depending on the quality of dal. If the lentils are old or near expiry date, then soak overnight.
- Later drain the soaked sabut urad dal.
Cup of Yum
Making maa ki dal
- Heat ghee or oil in a 3 litre stovetop pressure cooker. Instead of ghee you can also use butter. Keep the heat to low. Add the cumin seeds. When they sizzle and crackle, then add chopped onions.
- Fry the onions stirring often till light brown or golden on low to medium-low heat.
- Add the pureed tomatoes. Stir and mix well.
- Next add the crushed ginger-garlic or ginger-garlic paste.
- Add the all the dry spice powders - coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chili powder and garam masala powder. Stir the spice powders and mix well.
- Add chopped green chilies.
- Saute the masala on a low to medium-low heat till the oil starts to leave or separate at the sides. Ensure that the masala does not burn while sauteing.
- Add the soaked sabut urad dal (black gram). Add water and salt as needed. Stir and mix well.
Cooking maa ki dal
- Cover the pressure cook for about 15 to 18 whistles or 18 to 20 minutes or till the lentils have become soft and buttery. If still they are not cooked well, then continue to pressure cook for a few more whistles.
- When the pressure falls down naturally in the cooker then only open the lid.
- If the dal looks thin, then simmer without the lid, till it reaches the desired consistency.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
- Serve maa ki dal hot with naan, kulcha, rotis, plain paratha or plain boiled rice.
Nutrition Information
Calories
211kcal
(11%)
Carbohydrates
31g
(10%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
4g
(6%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Sodium
640mg
(27%)
Potassium
223mg
(5%)
Fiber
12g
(48%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
706IU
(14%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
1mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin C
15mg
(17%)
Vitamin E
2mg
Vitamin K
7µg
Calcium
53mg
(5%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
14µg
Iron
4mg
(22%)
Magnesium
14mg
(4%)
Phosphorus
27mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 211
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 211kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 31g | 10% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Sodium | 640mg | 27% |
| Potassium | 223mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 12g | 48% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 706IU | 14% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 15mg | 17% |
| Vitamin E | 2mg | |
| Vitamin K | 7µg | |
| Calcium | 53mg | 5% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 14µg | |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
| Magnesium | 14mg | 4% |
| Phosphorus | 27mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.