Langarwali dal or Maa chole di Dal or Dal Amritsari is one of the flavorful and rich dal recipes from Punjab. This Punjabi dal tadka is one of the best dal recipes.
Langarwali Dal Recipe | Maah Chole Di Dal | Dal Amritsari
Punjabi cuisine has a special connection with maa ki daal or urad dal (whole black gram). This gives a richness to the dal. Maah ki dal and dal makhani are the two most popular dal in North India.
If you belong to or have been to North India, you will see street-side dhabas or Punjabi dhabas (street-side restaurants). These wholesome meals are very common in such places. They are not only delicious in taste but also healthy.
What are black gram lentils?
Black gram (urad dal) is a lentil known as a while lentil (dehusked). This is a bean in the Indian subcontinent. Black gram or urad dal originated in India. North India is the central place of black gram cultivation and some parts of South India. Guntur of Andhra Pradesh is famous for producing black gram.
Whole urad dal, or black gram, typically has black skin. It comes in three forms in stores: whole, split, and dehusked. Dehusked ones are skinless and whiter in the shade.
Dehusked ones are popular for preparing snacks and breakfast items like medu vada, dahi vada, bonda, dosa, uttapam, and other South Indian dishes. Also, you may use them as stuffing in kachori, khasta, and stuffed parathas. Read my split black gram recipe and black gram with green peas recipes on the blog.
What is the meaning of Langarwali dal?
In Punjab, Langar is a community kitchen in Gurudwara (their religious place) where free food is served to all visitors irrespective of caste, religion, or ethnicity. This is a ritual and tradition where everybody sits and eats together. Usually, they serve daal (lentils), chapati (bread), sabzi (vegetable dish), and kheer (dessert).
This daal is generally a mixed dal of black gram (urad dal or maah dal in Punjabi) and Bengal gram (chana dal or chola dal in Punjabi). But the aromatic spices (and, of course, the love) make the dal delicious. There is no fineness in preparation, but the blend of lentils and flavors is irresistible.
How to Make Lanagrwali Dal?
Wash and soak urad dal and chana dal for 4 - 6 hours at minimum. Then, add them to a pressure cooker. Add some water with salt, chili powder, bay leaf, crushed ginger green chili, and turmeric powder. Then, pressure cook for 6 - 8 whistles (15 minutes). Once done, turn off the heat and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
Now heat a pan or Kadai and add a generous amount of ghee (clarified butter). Add bay leaf and cumin seeds and let them splutter. Then add crushed ginger-green chili paste and saute. Then add chopped onions and saute until translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and mushy.
Now add all the ground spices and saute until they release oil and are completely cooked. Add the boiled dal to the pan. Season with salt. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Read my other dal recipes collection here.
Langarwali Dal/ Amritsari Dal/ Maah Chole Di Dal
Langarwali Dal/ Amritsari dal/ Maah Chole di Dal
Equipment
- 1 Spatula
- 2 Mixing bowls for soaking dal
Ingredients
- 1 cup black gram or urad dal
- ยฝ cup chana dal
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ginger paste grated ginger
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
- ยฝ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 bay leaves
- 5 cups water
For tempering dal
- 4 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ยฝ tsp hing
- 1 tsp ginger + green chili paste (freshly crushed 1-inch ginger+ 2 green chillies)
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 tomato chopped
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- ยฝ tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 2 - 3 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Rinse dal 2 - 3 times. Soak them in water for 4 - 6 hrs or overnight.
- Transfer them to a pressure cooker.
- Add 4 - 5 cups water, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, ginger paste and bay leaves.
- Pressure cook for 6 - 8 whistles. Or until the dal gets properly cooked (15 minutes).
- Let it cool for some time till pressure is released naturally.
Tempering of Dal
- Heat ghee or oil in a pan or kadai.
- Add cumin seeds and let it splutter.
- Now add ginger and chillies freshly crushed.
- Add chopped onions an saute till it's translucent.
- Now add chopped tomatoes and saute till tomatoes are soft and cooked.
- Now add coriander powder, chilli powder and mix well.
- Then add cooked dal to the kadai or pan.
- Give it a nice stir and mix well.
- If the dal is thick, adjust it to the desired consistency by diluting it with a little water.
- Simmer on low flame for 2 - 3 minutes and cover with a lid.
- Turn off heat and garnish with lots of coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with rice or roti.
Nutrition
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