Split Urad Dal Recipe (Split Black Gram Lentils Soup)

This dhuli urad dal recipe is just the perfect comfort food and combines best with any type of flatbreads. This is one of the popular North Indian dal recipes. Urad dal is rich in protein, fiber, and many other nutrients. Know why you must include this urad dal in your diet for sure.

Urad Dal or Black Gram lentils are commonly used in the most popular Punjabi cuisine Dal Makhani. This is one of the common lentils in Indian cuisine, especially in South India and North India. This versatile lentil is a rich source of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Hence good food for our body. We use this lentil as authentic dal, curried dal, or as snacks. This lentil blends well with every food variety.

In South Indian cuisine, maximum items have this urad dal or black gram lentils as it's the main ingredient. Some examples are idli, dosa, medu vada, dal bonda, etc. The list is countless in fact. This is also one of the main ingredients in many rich North Indian Dal recipes, like authentic kali dal (with whole lentils with skin), dal makhani, dhuli urad dal ( this recipe), langarwali dal recipe.

Nutrition & Health Benefits

Urad dal or split black gram lentils are a high source of protein and many other vitamins and essential nutrients. This is full of iron, folic acid, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. It's rich in both soluble and insoluble fibers that are helpful in keeping our gut and digestive system healthy.

Though it has many health benefits, a few are as below:

• It helps in improving digestion & keeps the gut healthy.
• Helps to relieve constipation, diarrhea, and bloating.
• It helps in healing piles too.
• This is a good liver stimulant.
• Magnesium and potassium keep the heart healthy.
• Keeps bone strong.
• It strengthens the nervous system and makes the brain healthy.

There are numerous health benefits of this urad dal or black gram lentils.

Split Urad Dal Recipe (Split Black Gram Lentils)

This urad dal is made from the skinned split black gram. There are three different types of urad dal normally we use in our recipes. The type of urad dal we use also decides the taste of the dal or other urad dal recipes.

1. Whole urad dal with skin (Black)
2. Whole urad dal without skin (white /pale white)
3. Split urad dal with skin
4. Split urad dal without skin (white)

So we are using white, skinned urad dal (dhuli urad dal) for this split urad dal recipe.

If you will take the split lentils with skin also good but again that will change the color and flavor of the outcome. And I prefer a spiced curried flavor in such deals.

When I make my dal with split dal but with skin, I prefer to use my curry paste to add curried flavor. And that is more like an authentic kali dal recipe.

Ingredients for Urad (Udad) dal recipe

Split urad dal (split black gram lentils) - Take white urad dal (halved & without skin)

Onion, tomatoes, garlic minced, green chilies, and cilantro leaves to garnish

Ground Spices - Coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, dry red chili, cumin seeds, and hing (asafoetida).

Instructions - Manual Pressure Cooker

Step 1 - Soak the dal

Black gram lentils (urad dal) irrespective of type, i.e. with skin or without skin, take longer to cook than other lentils or dal since these are harder ones. If you are planning to make something from the whole urad dal, then you need to soak it overnight.

But this split urad dal is softer than whole lentils. But still, you need to soak these split lentils for at least 1 - 2 hours to reduce the cooking time. Otherwise, it takes too long even if we use the pressure cooking method (manual pressure cooker or instant pot).

Step 2 - Saute onion, tomatoes, & spices

Heat ghee (clarified butter) in a pressure cooker. Add a bay leaf. Then add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.

Next add chopped onions, and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Then add diced tomatoes and green chilies to the pot. Saute for 2 minutes or till it turns a little softer.

Now add in the ground spices. Stir quickly. Immediately add soaked lentils.

Then pour in water (as ratio 1 : 2.5) and close the lid of the cooker. Pressure cook (in a manual pressure cooker) for 10 minutes keeping on low to medium flame or 5 - 6 whistles* on medium heat.

(*Note - You can keep observation of the pressure cooking time of lentils. It may take 3 - 4 whistles more than toor dal cooking time.)

Method II - If you don't want a curried flavor and prefer a bland dal flavor, skip all sauteing of onion, tomato, and spices. Just add soaked lentils, water, and some chopped tomatoes (optional). Add salt to taste and turmeric powder and cook for 5 - 6 whistles. Then follow step 3 and add aromatic tempering to the dal.

Step 3 - Final tempering

Heat ghee or clarified butter. Add cumin seeds, chopped garlic, and dry red chili (whole). Add a generous amount of hing and red chili powder. Now pour in the tadka or tempering to the boiled dal and immediately cover with a lid. Finally, add freshly chopped coriander leaves. Split urad dal is ready now

Instant Pot Urad Dal

Start the instant pot on SAUTE mode. Add oil. Once the oil is hot add cumin seeds, garlic minced, and green chilies. Then add chopped onions and saute for 2 minutes till the onions turn translucent. Add chopped tomatoes and cook for another minute. Once the tomatoes turn soft and cooked, add the ground spices. Give a nice stir.

Now add the dal followed by water. Mix well before closing the pot. Now close it with the lid and turn the pressure valve to SEAL. Set the timer to PRESSURE COOK mode manually and at HIGH PRESSURE for 7 minutes. Once the timer is done let the pressure release naturally. Then open the lid and add chopped cilantro leaves.

Adding extra tempering is optional but here are the instructions for the same - Heat a small pan and add oil or ghee (clarified butter) to the pan. Add cumin seeds and let it splutter. Then add diced garlic, and whole red chilies (optional). Saute (on low flame) till garlic starts to change color. Turn off the heat at this point. Add hing (asafoetida) and red chili powder to the hot oil and pour the tempering into the dal in the pot. Give them a nice stir and add chopped cilantro leaves in the end.

If you like lentils/ dal, read similar recipes on the blog like sabut masoor dal, dal palak, methi dal, dalma, dhuli urad dal, hara moong dal, Lahsooni Dal, Lauki chana dal, moong masoor dal.

Recipe card for split urad dal