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Maash ki Dal (White Urad Dal Recipe)

This Pakistani style Maash ki Dal is made with white urad dal, onion, garlic and basic spices. Sukhi urad dal is delicious served with Indian flatbreads. It is finished with green chili and ginger julienne.

Naturally vegan and gluten-free. Stovetop and Instant Pot recipe.

pakistani mash ki daal in a cast iron skillet with serving spoon.

There are so many different ways of preparing white dal. 

This particular white urad dal recipe is called Maash ki Daal and is cooked in an onion tadka with garlic, tomatoes and basic spices. It is a vegan recipe. 

What is urad dal?

White urad lentils, also known as white gram, dhuli urad dal or urad dal, are a variety of lentils widely used in South Asian cuisine. 

These lentils are small, round, and have a pale white color. This skinless white urad dal comes from black lentils or whole black urad dal (sabut urad) – usually used to make Dal Makhani.

White lentils are rich in protein, fiber, and essential nutrients, making them a nutritious addition to various dishes. They are commonly used in Indian cuisine to prepare a variety of dishes such as dal (lentil soup), masala dosa (a type of savory pancake), and various curries. 

Additionally, these lentils can be soaked and ground to make a smooth batter for dishes like idli (steamed rice cakes) and medu vada (savory fritters) and Dahi Barey (dahi bhalla).

The mild flavor and creamy texture of white urad lentils make them a versatile ingredient in a wide range of culinary applications.

Other dal recipes we love are:

Whole masoor Dal

Gujarati Chana Dal 

Dhaba style Dal Fry

Dishoom Black Dal – made with black gram lentils or whole black gram. 

Gujarati Toor Dal – a popular dish found in most Gujarati Thalis. 

white urad dal in a small black bowl.

Maash ki Dal Ingredients

You can find these ingredients in indian grocery stores and sometimes large supermarkets.

White urad daal

Base:

Oil – use flavourless oil such as sunflower.

Cumin seeds

Onion, garlic, ginger – crushed in a food processor. I have used fresh, frozen works well too.

Tomatoes – fresh or tinned. You can use tomato puree too.

Spices: red chili powder, turmeric powder, ground cumin and coriander powder, garam masala. I have used Kashmiri red chilli powder, but you can use other red chilli powder as well.

Green chillies and ginger julienne 

Lemon juice – lime juice works too

Salt to taste

How to make Maash ki Daal

Stovetop

Soak the husk less split urad dal in cold water for a few hours or overnight if possible. 

In a pan, heat oil on medium heat and add cumin seeds.

Once they splutter, add in onion, garlic and ginger paste and cook until the mixture becomes golden brown. Add a splash of water in case the mixture appears to burn. 

spices powders added to the cooked onion mixture to make dal mash.
tomatoes added to the cooked onion mixture of white urad lentil dal fry.

Add in the spices then the tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to cook until oil appears on the sides and the mixture reduces. 

Tip in the soaked dhuli dal and add fresh water. Add salt to taste. 

Allow the dal to cook on low heat until the grains are just mushy. Ensure you add enough water to prevent the bottom of the pan burning.

Top the cooked dal with fresh ginger julienne, chopped green chili and fresh coriander. 

water and salt added to the maash ki dal in a pan.
cooked maash ki daal garnished with fresh chopped coriander.

Instant Pot

To the inner pot follow the steps as above. 

Add a little less water compared to stovetop as pressure cooking requires less. 

Seal the lid and select high pressure for 1 minute. Allow for natural pressure release. Note that cooking time varies on your lentils and how long you soaked them for. 

You can also use a traditional stovetop pressure cooker and cook for 1-2 whistles. 

Serve maash ki dal with tandoori roti. 

pakistani maash ki dal topped up with fresh cut green chillies.

Serving Suggestion

To make it a complete meal, serve this Pakistani sookhi urad dal with a vegetable sabji. It’s great with aloo shimla mirch, zucchini curry or tindora nu shaak (tindora sabji). 

Go for Indian flatbreads like naan, rotli or whole wheat flour roti. Paratha go great too. 

You might also like jeera rice (made with white rice but you could use brown rice), Indian style onion salad and cucumber raita

Storage

Store leftover maash ki daal in an airtight container. Once it has reached room temperature, place in the fridge. Consume within 3-4 days. 

You can freeze this dal in a freezer safe container. Reheat on the stovetop.

daal mash served with indian flatbread.

Other lentil recipes

Moong Dal Halwa

Garlicky Moong Masoor Dal

Trevti Daal

Moong Dal Ladoo

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

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pakistani maash ki dal topped up with fresh cut green chillies.

Maash Ki Dal (White Urad Dal Recipe)

Hayley Dhanecha
This Pakistani style Maash ki Dal is made with white urad dal, onion, garlic and basic spices. Sukhi urad dal is delicious served with Indian flatbreads. It is finished with green chili and ginger julienne.
5 from 8 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Pakistani
Servings 6 servings
Calories 211 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 pan or Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup White urad daal

Base:

  • ¼ cup Oil
  • 1 tablespoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 large Onion crushed in a food processor
  • 1 tablespoon Garlic and ginger
  • Tomatoes fresh or tinned. You can use tomato puree too.
  • 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon Ground cumin and coriander powder
  • ½ teaspoon Garam masala
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice – lime juice works too

Garnishing

  • 2 large Green chillies and ginger julienne
  • 2 tablespoon Coriander

Instructions
 

Stovetop

  • Soak the husk less split urad dal in cold water for a few hours or overnight if possible.
  • In a pan, heat oil on medium heat and add cumin seeds.
  • Once they splutter, add in onion, garlic and ginger paste and cook until the mixture becomes golden brown. Add a splash of water in case the mixture appears to burn.
  • Add in the spices then the tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to cook until oil appears on the sides and the mixture reduces.
  • Tip in the soaked dhuli dal and add fresh water. Add salt to taste.
  • Allow the dal to cook on low heat until the grains are just mushy. Ensure you add enough water to prevent the bottom of the pan burning.
  • Top the cooked dal with fresh ginger julienne, chopped green chili and fresh coriander.

Instant Pot

  • To the inner pot follow the steps as above.
  • Add a little less water compared to stovetop as pressure cooking requires less.
  • Seal the lid and select high pressure for 1 minute. Allow for natural pressure release. Note that cooking time varies on your lentils and how long you soaked them for.
  • You can also use a traditional stovetop pressure cooker and cook for 1-2 whistles.
  • Serve maash ki dal with tandoori roti.

Video

Notes

Serve Bhuni Maash Dal with easy and delicious Cabbage Curry or Aloo Baingan
 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Maash Ki Dal (White Urad Dal Recipe)
Amount per Serving
Calories
211
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
0.04
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
3
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
6
g
Sodium
 
61
mg
3
%
Potassium
 
89
mg
3
%
Carbohydrates
 
22
g
7
%
Fiber
 
8
g
33
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
9
g
18
%
Vitamin A
 
123
IU
2
%
Vitamin C
 
7
mg
8
%
Calcium
 
47
mg
5
%
Iron
 
4
mg
22
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator/plugin. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.

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Note:- This post was originally posted on 23rd May 2018 but I have updated the post since with helpful content. The recipe remains the same.

Recipe Rating




Krysten

Tuesday 5th of March 2024

Indian cuisine is one of my favorites, but i could never find a detailed recipe making me feel confident enough to try to make my own dish from home. I tried this recipe and it came out perfectly! My husband thought i ordered from a restaurant lol!

Hayley

Tuesday 5th of March 2024

Thrilled to hear that Krysten :) Thank you!

M

Monday 4th of March 2024

This recipe looks really tasty, flavorful, and protein-packed. Thank you for sharing.

Jenny

Monday 4th of March 2024

I love this dish, looks beautiful and tasty. I have never tried this Pakistani version of dal. Thanks so much for your recipe.

Carrie Robinson

Monday 4th of March 2024

This dish sounds so flavorful! I just love lentils, so I know I would love this recipe. Definitely going to m

Lori | The Kitchen Whisperer

Monday 4th of March 2024

What a unique and scrumptious recipe! Adding all of the ingredients to my shopping list this week as we can't wait to make this!