Maash ki daal or white urad dal has a slightly thick texture unlike other lentils. It has a nutty, warm and savory taste that goes very well with Indian breads like naan or tandoori roti. A tempering of ginger, red or green chillies, and mint adds a kick to daal maash like nothing else! This is a vegan recipe and both instant pot and stovetop versions are included.
If you are into Indian vegetarian recipes made in the instant pot, do check out this collection of 30+ recipes on the blog: Instant Pot Indian Vegetarian Recipes. You won't be disappointed!
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What is maash ki dal in English?
Split and skinned black gram lentils. It is an ivory colored dal precisely because the black skins are taken off. This makes it distinctly different from whole black gram which, incidentally, is used for making the delicious dal makhani.
Is urad dal the same as maash dal?
Yes! More commonly known as urad dal in India and dhuli maash among Urdu speaking people, it is the exact same dal. You can call it anything you want. What's in a name?
What does urad dal taste like?
Maash ki dal or urad dal has a very unique nutty taste which is enhanced when tempered with lots of ginger and green chillies, and a little mint. It is quite an interesting dal, especially when served with the main dish. This main dish could be chicken, lamb, or a sabzi, but this white urad dal recipe served alongside your entree makes things quite special.
Want more dal recipes?
If the humble dal is your thing, do try some other dal recipes on the blog. Lentils are quite an essential part of subcontinental meals, and there is quite a variety, so you'll never run out of ideas to make them. Try this moong dal recipe that's also easy on the stomach. Or have a look at these recipes for whole masoor dal, dal fry, dal palak, or dal makhani🙂
Ingredients
Note: exact amounts are given further down in the recipe card.
- cooking oil
- whole spices - cumin, black cardamon, dry red chillies
- ginger, ground into a paste
- garlic, ground into a paste
- red onions, fried
- powdered spices - coriander, red chilli, garam masala, turmeric
- salt
- tomato paste
- maash or urad dal (affiliate link), soaked
- lemon juice
- ginger root, julienned
- fresh green chillies
- fresh or dried mint
Instructions
Instant pot version
- Rinse the dal under running water until the water runs clear. Soak it in 1.5 cups water for 30 minutes.
- Heat the cooking oil in the steel insert of your instant pot and add the whole spices.
- When the spices start sizzling, add the ginger and garlic pastes, fried onions as well as the powdered spices and salt. Fry this masala on medium heat for two minutes. Add a quarter to half cups water to prevent the masala from burning.
- Add the tomato paste and fry for a further two minutes. Add splashes of water if the masala seems too dry.
- Add the lentils along with the water they were soaked in. Stir well and deglaze if needed.
- Close the lid and pressure cook for five minutes on high pressure. When the timer beeps, do a release after ten minutes.
- Open the pot and check the dal. If it seems too dry, add a quarter to half cup water and cook on sauté again for two minutes. Sprinkle about a tablespoon of lemon juice into the hot dal and stir. If not, ladle the dal into a bowl and prepare the tempering.
- For the tempering, heat one tablespoon cooking oil in a small frypan and add the ginger juliennes and green chillies. Fry for 30 seconds, then pour this oil over the prepared dal. Sprinkle the mint leaves (fresh or dried) over the dal and serve hot with some warm bread or rice.
Stovetop version
In the stovetop version, the dal is cooked separately until al dente (about 80% cooked), the masala is cooked in another frypan, then the two are brought together and cooked until the dal is fully soft. Finally the dal is tempered as a finishing touch.
- Take 5 or 6 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a roiling boil. Add the rinsed dal, lower the heat to medium high and cook the dal for around 20 to 25 minutes. Scoop out a few grains of dal in a spoon and press them between your thumb and forefinger. The grains should resist the pressure with slightly hard centres.
- Drain the remaining water and take out the dal in a bowl.
- Now prepare the masala. In a frypan or saucepan, add the cooking oil and when it becomes medium-hot, tip in the whole spices.
- When the spices start sizzling, add the ginger and garlic pastes, fried onions as well as the powdered spices and salt. Fry this masala on medium heat for two minutes. Add a quarter to half cups water to prevent the masala from burning.
- Add the tomato paste and fry for two minutes more. Add splashes of water if the masala seems too dry.
- Now add the cooked dal to this masala and more water (half to one cup). The dal should not be too dry at this point since it still needs to cook fully and absorb the spices. Cook the dal on low to medium heat until most of the liquid has dried up, you can see the oil has risen to the surface, and the dal is soft (around 15 minutes).
- Add the lemon juice and stir the dal well.
- The last step is to temper the dal. Heat one tablespoon cooking oil in a small frypan and add the ginger juliennes and green chillies. Fry for a few seconds, then pour this oil over the prepared dal. Sprinkle the mint leaves (fresh or dried) over the dal and serve hot with some warm bread or rice.
📖 Recipe
Maash ki Dal
Equipment
- 6-quart Instant Pot Duo
- Small frypan
Ingredients
For cooking the daal
- 3 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 whole black cardamom
- 2 dry red chillies
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- ½ cup red onions fried/caramelized
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon thick tomato paste
- 1 ½ cups maash or urad dal split and husked black gram lentils
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the tempering and garnishing
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- ½" fresh ginger julienned
- 2 green chillies chopped
- 2 tablespoon mint leaves chopped, or ¼ teaspoon dried mint
Instructions
Instant Pot
- Rinse the dal and soak it in 1.5 cups water for 30 minutes.
- Switch on your instant pot to sauté, and add the cooking oil. When the oil becomes medium-hot add the cumin, black cardamom, and dry red chillies. Fry for a few seconds only.
- Add the ginger and garlic pastes, fried onions, coriander, red chilli, turmeric and garam masala powders as well as salt. Fry this masala for two minutes, adding a quarter to half cups water as needed.
- Add the tomato paste and more water if needed and cook for two minutes, stirring the masala to keep it from sticking to the pot.
- Add the lentils along with the water they were soaked in. Stir again and deglaze the pot.
- Close the lid, make sure the steam release vent is sealed, and press the pressure cooking button (high). Set the timer to 5 minutes. Once the timer beeps, wait for 10 minutes before releasing the steam and opening the pot.
- Check the consistency of the dal. If it is too liquidy, dry the excess liquid on sauté. If it is too dry, add a quarter to half cup water and cook on sauté for two minutes. Add the lemon juice to the dal.
- Heat the cooking oil in a small frypan and add the ginger and green chilli. Fry for a few seconds only, then pour the oil over the dal gently. Sprinkle the mint leaves on top.
Stovetop
- Rinse and soak the dal in 1.5 cups water for 30 minutes.
- Boil 5 to 6 cups of water in a saucepan, add the dal, and cook for 20-25 minutes. Take a few grains between your finger and press to check for doneness. The grains should still resist pressure and not be overly soft.
- Drain the dal and set it aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a frypan or saucepan and add the cumin, black cardamom, and dry red chillies. Fry for a few seconds only.
- Add the ginger and garlic pastes, fried onions, coriander, red chilli, turmeric and garam masala powders as well as salt. Fry this masala for two minutes, adding a quarter to half cups water as needed.
- Add the tomato paste and more water if needed and cook for two minutes, stirring the masala to keep it from sticking to the pot.
- Add the cooked dal to this masala and half to one cup water. Cook the dal on low to medium heat until most of the liquid dries up, the oil comes to the surface, and the dal is soft. Add the lemon juice and stir well.
- Now temper the dal. Heat the oil in a small frypan and add the ginger and green chillies. Fry for a few seconds and pour over the dal carefully. Sprinkle the mint leaves on top.
Notes
- This is a vegan dal, but if you don't care for a vegan diet, you can do the tempering with pure ghee instead of oil. It will impart a wonderful aroma to the dal.
- If you do not have pre-fried onions, you can fry a finely sliced medium red onion in oil until it is reddish brown and add this to the recipe. Pre-fried onions are available in Indian or Pakistani groceries though.
Sarfaraz Husain says
This Maash Ki Daal recipe was very easy to make. Everyone enjoyed it in our family.
Carmen says
Very tasty indeed. Thanks!
Bought white Udal as never had it before. Quite an earthy flavour. Worked perfectly here.
Saima says
Thank you Carmen!