Maash ki Daal

Maash ki daal 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.

What is maash ki daal 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 daal 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 daal taste like?

Maash ki daal 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 or entree could be chicken, lamb, or a sabzi, but the daal mash served alongside makes things quite special.

Want more daal 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. 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

How to make maash ki daal

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.

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