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Spicy Urad Dal
5 from 78 votes

Spicy Urad Dal

Spicy Urad Dal is a seasoned lentil dish made with split urad dal cooked until tender or creamy, then tempered with a mix of cumin, cloves, bay leaves, ground spices, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. The addition of fresh ginger, chili, and lemon juice brightens the flavors, lending it a warming and flavorful profile suited to Indian-inspired meals.

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 185 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup urad dal or use moong dal(petite yellow lentils). See notes for more subs, split black gram lentils
  • 1.5 cups water
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the tempering:
  • 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 cloves
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or use 3/4 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/3 teaspoon cayenne powder optional, or Indian red chili powder
  • 1 cup onion finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tomato about 3/4 cup, large ripe, chopped
For finishing:
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
  • 1 hot green chili finely chopped or you can also use mild green chili like Anaheim (use only about a tablespoon chopped or a tablespoon of finely chopped green bell pepper, such as Indian chili, thai chili or serrano
  • lemon juice for garnish
  • cilantro for garnish

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Soak the dal in hot water for at least 15 minutes. Ideally, soak for 30 minutes.
  2. Once soaked, drain and add to an instant pot with the water and salt and pressure cook for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
  3. To cook it on the stove top, add the dal, 2 cups of water, and salt to a saucepan and cook over medium heat, partially covered for 25 minutes or until the lentils are tender to preference.
  4. Make the tempering: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and wait for it to get hot.
  5. Add the cumin seeds and cook until the seeds change color and get very fragrant. They will sizzle and continue to change color. Then add in the cloves and bay leaves and mix. Then add in the ground spices and mix in.
  6. Then add in the onion and garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Mix really well and continue to cook until the onion is golden brown.
  7. Add in the tomato and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook until the tomatoes are saucy. Add in a splash of water if the tomatoes are not juicy enough and if they start to stick to the skillet. This will take 5 to 7 minutes.
  8. Mash the larger pieces. Add in the cooked dal (lentils) along with the cooking liquid and mix well and simmer until the dal reaches desired consistency. The dal keeps thickening as it sits so you do want a little bit of extra liquid in there.
  9. Taste and adjust salt and flavor and add in the minced ginger and the green chili and a dash of lime or lemon juice, lightly mix and take off heat. Garnish with cilantro. Serve over rice, roti, flatbread, or naan.

Notes

  • You can substitute moong dal or petite yellow lentils for urad dal with similar cooking times.
  • For red lentils (masoor dal), reduce pressure cooking time to about 3 minutes.
  • Whole urad dal requires significantly longer cooking, around 35-40 minutes pressure cooked.
  • To make an oil-free version, dry toast the cumin seeds and sauté with broth instead of oil.
  • Adding more water after cooking can turn this dal into a warming soup served with garlic bread.

Nutrition Information

Calories 185kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 11g (22%) Fat 3g (5%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 349mg (15%) Potassium 170mg (4%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 588IU (12%) Vitamin C 10mg (11%) Calcium 40mg (4%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 185

% Daily Value*

Calories 185kcal 9%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 11g 22%
Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 349mg 15%
Potassium 170mg 4%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 588IU 12%
Vitamin C 10mg 11%
Calcium 40mg 4%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.