Urad Dal Recipe (Dhaba Style)

The humble dal is a varied staple of Indian cuisine, but there’s just something special about Dhaba-style dal that really hits the spot when you’re in need of some tasty, quick, and comforting food.

Urad dal, in particular, works well when prepared in accordance with Dhaba techniques and presentation, which is why it’s the dal we’re going to show you how to make here today.

Read on for a detailed ingredient list, a fail-proof step-by-step cooking guide, and some key information about the meal of the hour, urad dal — Dhaba style!

Okay, But What Does “Dhaba Style” Mean?

The Dhaba style is vaguely akin to what Westerners know as fast food, but forget your McDonalds and your Burger King! Dhaba-style food is prepared by passionate chefs working in the thick of Indian society, right on the streets.

Typically, Dhaba outfits operate out of tents and stands rather than brick-and-mortar establishments, and it’s a thriving element of Indian cuisine and culture at large.

These vendors produce all manner of tasty treats, including tandoori bread, various curried entrées, and cheese spreads, but dal is perhaps the prevalent food on the menu.

Solving Your Dalemma

The fact that the word dal refers to both an ingredient and meal is confusing enough, but with multiple different types and states of lentils available, following a dal recipe can be a real headache.

In light of this, before we hit you with the guide, we’re going to briefly run through the different kinds of urad dal.

If you visit an Indian grocery store or even a well-stocked regular grocery store, you should find three different types of urad dal on the shelves.

• Split white — This is the most confusing one, as urad dal means black lentil, so where does the “white” come from here? Well, beneath the black lentil’s dark enclosure is a white core.

So, in short, split white urad dal are skinless black lentils. These are the ones we use in the recipe below.

• Split black — If a product is labeled as split black rather than split white urad dal, it usually means that the skin has been left on the split lentils.

• Whole — As you might expect, whole urad dal is just your standard un-split black lentils with skin intact.

Reasons To Give This Recipe A Shot

There are a plethora of reasons why we feel you’ll fall head over heels for Dhaba-style urad dal, but here are the main pointers for your consideration…

Adjustable Heat

Following the recipe by the letter amounts to a medium-spice dal that should satisfy most pallets, but if you want to crank the heat factor up or dial it down completely, it couldn’t be easier to do.

Do be careful when increasing the quantities of spice, though, as it’s very easy to take it a touch too far and turn what should be a comforting meal into a challenging meal.

Rich Flavors

You won’t have tasted anything like this dal before in your life! Unless that is, you’ve actually been to India and experienced Dhaba-style urad dal firsthand.

The rich spices and hearty buttery undercurrent combined with that typical Dhaba smokiness is an absolute delight. It’s almost creamy, but, as you’ll see, there is absolutely no cream in the recipe — it’s all just the lentils!

It’s The Ultimate Comfort Food

Dhaba style urad dal doesn’t just satisfy the stomach, but the soul as well. It’s one of those foods that can pick you up and bring a little comfort on your darkest day.

Easy To Prepare

Dal is so simple that even if things go a little pear-shaped, it’ll likely still turn out super scrumptious, but the chances of anything going wrong are minimal, as it couldn’t be easier to make.

It doesn’t even require too many ingredients, so it’s hard to go wrong.

Urad Dal: Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to get started with our Dhaba style urad dal guide…

• ½ cup split white urad dal

• ¼ tsp turmeric powder

• 1 tsp red chili powder

• Salt to taste

• 1 tbsp cooking oil (your choice)

• ½ cup diced red onion

• 1 diced green chili

• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger (paste will do in a pinch)

• 1 tsp crushed garlic cloves

• ½ cup coarsely chopped tomato

• 1–2 cups water (use 1 for a thicker consistency and 1 ½–2 for a thinner consistency)

• 1 tbsp vegan butter

• ½ tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp kasoori methi

• 2 tsp fresh lemon or lime juice

• 1 tbsp fresh torn cilantro

Dhaba Style Urad Dal — A Step-By-Step Guide

Without further ado, let’s get cooking!

• Step 1: Pour out your split white lentils into a colander and rinse them under some cold, clean water. Continue until the water runs clear from the holes in the colander.

• Step 2: Transfer your lentils into a pressure cooker, along with a cup of fresh water.

• Step 3: Shake in some turmeric and red chili powder, followed by a pinch or two of salt. Stir well.

• Step 4: Close the lid of your pressure cooker and batten down the hatches, by which we mean place a weight on top to keep the steam inside. Leave this initial mix to cook on a medium heat for 2–3 whistles. By then, the dal should be nice and soft.

In the meantime, you can get cracking with tomato masala.

• Step 5: Grab a large frying pan, drizzle some oil, then heat it gently on your stovetop. While it warms, dice a red onion, crush some garlic, and grate some ginger root.

• Step 6: Add your red onion to the pan and sprinkle in a pinch of salt to expedite the cooking process. 

• Step 7: Once your onions have gone either slightly translucent or slightly golden brown, throw in your garlic, ginger, and some green chili powder.

• Step 8: Sauté the ingredients until their fragrances seem to blend into one. The garlic usually has the strongest scent, so focus on that. When it starts to fade slightly, you’re ready to move on to the next step.

• Step 9: Chop some tomatoes into small chunks, then throw them in the pan.

• Step 10: Continue sautéing until you notice the tomatoes soften.

• Step 11: Pour your cooked dal into the pan.

• Step 12: Add half a cup of water to keep the consistency right. However, if you prefer a thicker dal, it’s best not to add too much. And likewise, if you prefer a thinner dal, you can add an extra cup.

• Step 13: Give the ingredients a good stir, then simmer on low heat for about 8 minutes. Stir again periodically to prevent your food from sticking to the pan.

• Step 14: Add a knob of vegan butter to your dal and stir as it melts into the mix; then on another burner, heat up a small piece of wood charcoal.

• Step 15: Now’s the time to sprinkle in some garam masala and kasoori methi. Give your dal another good stir to ensure everything is sufficiently mixed.

• Step 16: Your charcoal should be glowing a little red in spots by now. Remove it from the flame with tongs and place it in a small steel bowl; float the bowl in the middle of your dal, drizzle some oil over the charcoal, and then cover the pan with a lid.

• Step 17: Simmer for about 3 minutes on low, then remove the lid and steel bowl.

• Step 18: Just before serving, grab half a fresh lemon and squeeze the juice into your dal. Half a lime will work in lieu of a lemon. Whichever you go for, be sure to stir it into the dal well.

• Step 19: Garnish your finished Dhaba-style urad dal with some fresh, torn cilantro.

• Step 20: Serve your delicious food up and enjoy!

Pro Tips

• If you want a truly authentic Dhaba-style dal, you’ll use the dhungar method outlined in the guide above, which involves the charcoal and steel bowl. However, you can achieve a similar smokiness by adding a generous amount of smoked paprika to your sauté mix before you pour in your cooked lentils.

• If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you could use a less fragrant garnish, such as pea shoots or perhaps even amaranth.

• Adjust the heat of this dish by increasing or decreasing the amount of fresh green chili and red chili powder.

• If you want to cook this tasty meal in batches, it’s easily scalable. Simply double or triple the ingredient quantities, and voilà… dal for days!

Urad Dal Serving Suggestions

We like this smoky urad dal with mushroom pulao, peas pulao, jeera rice, or plain rice are good pairings, too. And if you’re thinking about sides, we highly recommend adding a tandoori roti or naan to the mix as well.

To construct a full meal around this dish, prepare a side of kachumber salad, pickle, and papal, then serve everything up with a glass of salted lassi — Yum!

Final Thoughts

Dhaba-style urad dal is a real treat, especially if you use the traditional dhungar smoking technique. Even if you opt for the easier paprika approach, you’re in for one hell of a meal.

In our opinion, this dish is far too tasty to keep to yourself. Show it off by inviting your friends and family around for dinner. They’ll no doubt be completely awed by the rich, wholesome flavors at play in urad dal, just as you were!