Dhaba Style Kali Dal

04/08/2022

Dhaba Style Kali Dal, a perfect quick dal that tastes like Dal Makhani, but takes less time to make. There is no need to soak it prior to cooking, you can cook just like regular dal. It is a popular dal in North India and roadside eateries like Dhaba. Most of North Indian Dhabas usually dont serve dal makhani, but they have several varieties of delicious dals, like dal tadka, Kali Dal, and Mah Ki Dal, which are made quickly with very little ingredients and with khada masalas/coarsely fresh masalas, made with roughly chopped ginger-garlic and green chilies or pounded in a mortar pestle. This dal made with split black gram and tempered with chopped ginger-garlic and green chilis.
This dal is one of the most favorite dals at our home, it is spicy creamy and delicious in taste. It can be served with Jeera Rice or side with Naan.

Split black gram, also popularly known as urad dal, is one of the most common lentils in India. That’s because it is a rich source of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and Vitamin B. Urad dal is also highly beneficial since it’s full of iron, calcium, folic acid, magnesium, and potassium.
Urad dal is widely used for preparing several dishes, including dosa, Dahi Vada and medu vada.
There are three types of black lentil/Urad exist. One is whole black gram/Whole Urad used mostly for making Dal Makhani, one is split with skin called Chilka dal, and the last one is split without skin called Dhuli Urad Dal, its called Adad dal in Gujarati. The whole Urad looks very similar to moong beans, but it’s black on the outside and cream on the inside.

Ingredients

1 cup split Black Lentil/Chilka Urad Dal
1 cup Chopped Tomato
1 tsp Salt
2 tsp Dal Makhani Masala Powder
2-3 tbsp Ghee
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
¼ tsp Hing
2-3 Clove Garlic Chopped
2-3 Green Chilis Chopped
1 tsp Minced Ginger
1 tsp Red Chili Powder
2-3 tbsp Fresh Cream
½ tsp Kasoori Methi
2-3 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves

Method

1. Wash and clean the dal and add to the pressure cooker with chopped tomato, salt and 2 cups water.
2. Cover the lid and pressure cook the dal for 4-5 whistles. Once done, let it cool completely.
3. Open the lid, mix dal with a spoon or ladle. Add Makhani masala powder, 2 cups water, mix it well and keep aside.
4. Heat the ghee in a small pan. Once its hot enough, add cumin seeds, hing, chopped garlic, green chilies, and ginger.
5. Cook the garlic until it becomes golden brown, add red chili powder, stir with a spoon, and cook it for a few seconds.
6. Pour the tempering over the dal mixture, mix it well and let it boil.
7. Add fresh cream and cook for 2 more mins.
8. Dal is ready for serving, add crushed kasoori methi and garnish with chopped coriander and serve with Jeera Rice or garlic Naan and enjoy.

Tips

If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can cook the dal in a pot, but it will take a while, so soak it for about an hour before cooking.
Garlic can be skipped for a No Onion-Garlic recipe.
For vegans, substitute vegan butter for ghee in tempering and coconut milk for fresh cream.

Binjal Pandya